Michael Cromwell, portrayed by Tim Allen, is a self-absorbed commodities broker thriving in the bustling atmosphere of New York City. As he navigates the corporate jungle, Michael, in partnership with Richard, has just made a risky purchase of 300 lots of coffee futures, an amount totaling 5,100 tons, which Richard considers a monumental error given the current market conditions.
Set to marry his fiancée Charlotte, played by Lolita Davidovich, Michael seeks to finalize his divorce from his first wife, Patricia, portrayed by JoBeth Williams. Patricia left him years ago and now resides with a semi-Westernized tribe in the scenic Canaima National Park, Venezuela. Michael's attorney and driver, Abe, played by Luis Avalos, informs him that Patricia is not in Canaima City but wishes him to travel to the island of Lipo-Lipo to obtain her signature on the divorce papers.
Upon arriving on the island, Michael witnesses the chaos back home as George Langston, played by Bob Dishy, his boss, goes into a frenzy over the coffee futures he had instructed Richard not to sell. Meanwhile, Michael discovers he has a 13-year-old son named Mimi-Siku, portrayed by Sam Huntington, who has been raised in the jungle and is equipped with survival skills that impress his father. Patricia, now referred to as Paliku among the tribe, explains that she left Michael because of his obsession with work and the added burden of a fifth phone line.
As Michael attempts to bond with Mimi-Siku during his brief stay with the tribe, he learns about the customs and traditions that have shaped his son. Michael proudly earns a new tribal name, Baboon, and witnesses Mimi-Siku undergo the traditional rite of passage, where the tribal elder tasks him with a quest to bring fire from the Statue of Liberty. Despite his father’s hesitations, Mimi-Siku is brought to New York, causing confusion and disruptions in Michael's life, especially with his fiancée Charlotte, who is unprepared for the cultural shock represented by Mimi-Siku's behaviors—including the unsettling habit of urinating in public as per his tribal custom.
In New York, Mimi-Siku's antics, which include a failed attempt to bond with city life, escalate. He hunts a pigeon for breakfast, causing quite a stir, while the price of Michael's coffee futures falls dangerously low due to a lack of communication in the chaos of the city. Desperate to secure a buyer for the coffee, Richard turns to a Russian dealer named Alexei Jovanovic, played by David Ogden Stiers, who complicates matters by introducing a money laundering scheme involving the Russian mafia.
Amidst family turmoil, Mimi-Siku develops a crush on Richard’s daughter, Karen, portrayed by Leelee Sobieski, leading to wild misunderstandings and mishaps within the Kempster household, particularly for Richard, who fears the influences his daughter may face from Mimi-Siku. The stakes rise when Jovanovic arrives at the Kempsters' home, intending to retaliate against Richard for perceived slights, leading to a comedic yet dangerous showdown where Michael and Mimi-Siku rely on tribal skills to fend off the mobsters.
As the story unfolds, Michael comes to a realization about his fast-paced life, culminating in his decision to return to Lipo-Lipo with his family for a vacation, where connections are rekindled, and a sense of familial bonds is restored. With a heartfelt exchange of gifts—a satellite phone from Michael to Mimi-Siku and a blowpipe to practice with—father and son forge their relationship anew. The film closes as Michael undergoes the same rite of passage as his son had earlier, hinting at a future filled with renewed bonds and understanding.
