Mama’s Boy

Jeffrey Mannus is a 29-year-old bookstore clerk who still lives with his mother, Jan. He has clung to this arrangement since his father died, and he shows little tolerance for change. The setup establishes the fragile, controlled world he tries to maintain.

Jan attends a talk on the power of positivity given by Mert Rosenbloom and is quickly smitten by him. Jeffrey sees Mert invading what he considers his territory. The meeting foreshadows the upheaval to Jeffrey's life.

Mert becomes part of Jan's life and moves into the house, which Jeffrey perceives as invading his territory. Tension rises as Jeffrey resists the new dynamics and his mother's attention shifts. The stage is set for a personal conflict.

At a coffee shop, Jeffrey meets Nora Flannagan, an aspiring singer-songwriter. They bond over a cynical, negative view of the world. This friendship becomes a potential counterweight to Mert's influence.

Jeffrey hires a man working in a computer shop to dig up dirt on Mert and pays half the agreed price. The shop worker reveals Jeffrey's plan to Mert when he comes in to buy, triggering a swift counter-move. Mert declares war on Jeffrey.

Following Mert's suggestion, Jan moves Jeffrey out of his bedroom and into the basement. The estranged living arrangement deepens Jeffrey's sense of humiliation and fuels the escalating feud.

Jeffrey attends Nora's gig, where he initially acts distant. After he apologizes for his harsher behavior, they go for coffee together and begin to rebuild trust.

That weekend at Mert's house, Jan is visibly enthusiastic when Nora arrives. Jan shows Nora an old photo of Jeffrey and points out his attachment issues. The atmosphere is tense as the adults' conflicts spill over.

During the weekend gathering, Jeffrey and Mert exchange disparaging remarks as Jan looks on with mixed feelings. Nora becomes wary as Mert insinuates that Nora isn't trying hard enough to succeed.

The conflict escalates when Maya Sinclair is revealed to be Mert's estranged daughter, whom he abandoned at 12. The revelation compounds the tension and complicates Jeffrey's stance toward Mert.

Jeffrey and Mert fight in Jan's home, and news of Maya drives Jan to break up with Mert. Jeffrey feels a sense of relief but is then kicked out of the house.

Jeffrey ends up living on the streets and is arrested for urinating in a sink. Seymour, his former bookstore boss, pays his bail and offers him a place to stay, giving him a chance to turn his life around.

Fueled by regret, Jeffrey works to repair his relationship with Jan and Mert, trying to reunite them amid the turmoil. He takes action to mend the broken bonds.

To win Nora back, Jeffrey stops the bus she is traveling on by parking his new car in the middle of the road and standing on the hood with a radio playing one of Nora's songs. The bus driver allows Nora to talk to him, they reconcile, and they drive off together.