In the year 2000, a cult led by the enigmatic William Davenport conducted a series of video interviews that would precede their tragic mass suicide. Among the members of this cult is Chip Harper, a boisterous and overweight individual, who finds himself relegated to a barn without electricity, forced to deal with the discomforts of his surroundings, including a clumsily crafted raccoon trap. On the day designated for their "transcendence," an event that was meant to be a grand celebration, Chip’s disruptive behavior leads to a series of unfortunate events. As a result, he is entrusted with delivering a videotape to the press, a duty he ultimately fails to fulfill. Upon returning, he gruesomely discovers that the rest of the group has already completed the ritual without him, leaving him to face the reality of his situation.
Fast forward three months, Chip now lives with his parents and earns a living selling gravel for his uncle's company. His life takes a dramatic turn when he learns from the news that the bodies of his former cult members have been discovered, but their leader William is still missing and is the prime suspect in multiple murders. Driven by a desire for closure, Chip embarks on a quest to find William, eventually tracking him down to a surprising new career—working as a clown at children’s birthday parties. When confronted, William claims that he died during the ritual but was miraculously resurrected with a single mission: to reconnect with Chip and form a new cult.
Motivated by a shared vision, Chip starts to embrace his role as a clown-in-training under William’s guidance. Together, they hatch a scheme to earn money and gather new followers. During their journey, they encounter Tyler, a young man who has been disqualified from military service due to a bone disorder, and Diane, a single mother struggling with her mental health who has lost custody of her son. William assures this ragtag group that he has a plan for them, a promise to take them to a new compound where they can all begin anew.
However, cracks begin to form in their partnership as William realizes that Chip is taking on a more authoritative role than he anticipated. While William sleeps, Chip clandestinely recruits Jim Smith, a talented musician from abroad, and leads the group on a spontaneous camping trip. Upon arriving at what William believed was his inherited home, a shocking twist emerges: the property is owned by Dorota, an ex-wrestling champion. After a flirtatious encounter that escalates quickly, Chip and Dorota engage in a passionate liaison, and she permits the group to stay at her home. In a surprising turn of events, William relinquishes his leadership role and anoints Chip as the new cult leader, capturing their worship on video.
However, the dynamics shift further when William conspires to frame Chip as the mastermind behind their cult while masquerading as an escaped member. In a frantic attempt to escape the impending chaos, Dorota defends her home against the police, allowing the group to flee. Following a near-death experience where Chip attempts to drown himself, he is saved by his newfound friends—Jim, Diane, and Tyler. They unite to retrieve the original videotape containing the cult's statements to clear Chip’s name and expose William's true nature.
Their quest leads them back to the original compound, where tensions rise. They find William mid-interview with a news station and, amidst a dramatic confrontation, Chip discovers the original tape hidden in the barn. He reveals it to the reporter, but just as things seem to reveal the truth, William violently threatens her with pliers. In a bizarre twist of fate, William accidentally triggers Chip's raccoon trap, resulting in an unexpected and fatal injury—a machete falls on him.
In a reflective montage that follows, we see the trajectories of their lives shift. Chip transforms his chaotic experiences into inspirational motivational speaking, marries Dorota (even while she’s incarcerated), and they welcome a child into their peculiar family. Meanwhile, Diane rekindles a relationship with Tyler and regains visitation rights to her son. The former cult members now find themselves living together under one roof at Dorota's house, symbolizing a new beginning. On the other hand, William, though surviving the mishap, is left to navigate life with what can only be described as "shit for brains," a fitting conclusion to his tumultuous journey.
