Theresa Jones, portrayed by Zoe Saldana, decides it’s time for her boyfriend Simon Green, played by Ashton Kutcher, to meet her parents during the celebration of her parents' 25th wedding anniversary. With plans to announce their engagement, she fails to mention one crucial detail: Simon is white. Adding to the tension, her father, Percy, played by Bernie Mac, is already in a foul mood, as the event is straining his finances. Percy, being the protective father he is, has even gone so far as to check Simon's credit report.
While Theresa had bragged to her dad about Simon's impressive job at JP Oliver, he conveniently omits that he just quit earlier that day. Although he has a promising lead for a new job with Liz Klein, a delay is expected. Just as the family dinner begins, a phone call from Liz disrupts Simon, revealing a damaging rumor about him, which complicates matters further.
From the onset, Percy is not impressed with Simon, primarily due to his race. In an attempt to impress Percy and fit in, Simon fabricates a story about being on the pit crew for NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon—a fact that backfires as Percy is one of Gordon’s biggest fans. When an awkward moment leads Percy to try separating them, all nearby hotels are fully booked, thanks to a Shriners convention. As a result, Simon ends up crashing on the couch in Percy's basement, where they both sleep.
Despite the obvious relationship between Simon and Theresa, Percy diligently aims to keep them apart during Simon's stay. He, along with his assistant Reggie, concocts a plan to create a fictitious black boyfriend named Jamaal, perfect for Theresa, instead of coming clean about Simon's identity. In an unexpected twist, Simon seeks financial help from his ex-colleague Jerry for a $50,000 loan to invest in the upcoming JP Oliver IPO, which he believes will flourish.
Percy, skeptical of Simon's NASCAR claims, decides to put him to the test at a go-kart track only to discover Simon has no clue about driving. The situation escalates dramatically when Simon is urged to disclose his lies and his dire financial needs at the dinner table, resulting in an uncomfortable atmosphere filled with unintended humor.
As tensions rise, Percy unintentionally reveals Simon's secrets to Theresa, leading her to confront Simon. Hurt by the deception, she storms off, leaving Simon and Percy to stir up trouble in their drunken antics. Eventually, after a heartfelt apology session the following morning, both families attempt to mend their relations.
Just when it seems that Simon and Theresa’s romance is over, a moment of clarity strikes Percy. Realizing Simon's true motivations behind quitting his job and understanding the weight of his daughter's feelings, he ventures out to find Simon and bring him back to Theresa, allowing the couple to reconcile amidst the chaos of family feuds and misunderstandings.
