David Brower is a middle-aged bachelor struggling to find love amidst the challenges of caring for his temperamental mother, Lucille, who suffers from dementia. Haunted by the tragic suicide of his father, Frank, a talented jazz musician, a decade earlier, David seeks companionship through Video Rendezvous, a video dating service he has used for six fruitless months.
In a twist of fate, while recording an updated dating tape at one of their locations, David discovers a captivating tape titled "Rent-A-Pal" in a bargain bin. Intrigued, he purchases it, only to find that the tape features the charismatic host, Andy, who engages the viewer in a conversation, allowing for eerie pauses. Quickly disillusioned, David switches it off.
However, the following day, Video Rendezvous contacts David, revealing that a woman named Lisa has shown interest in him after watching his latest tape. Yet, when he retrieves her video, he learns she has already found another match, crushing his hopes. Even so, David continues watching "Rent-A-Pal," sharing his frustrations with Andy about his life and the abusive nature of his mother, intertwining their experiences.
As David's relationship with the tape deepens, they bond over their personal stories. Andy encourages David to recount an embarrassing tale from his middle school years, which involved cruel bullies and led to severe trust issues for David. Andy then begins to share his own stories, which become increasingly explicit, leading David to engage in a moment of intimacy that gets interrupted by his mother, resulting in a chaotic confrontation.
After a failed attempt at dating Lisa, due to Andy's jealousy and manipulation, David's life spirals further. Following a chaotic evening where Lucille goes missing, David finds his mother with Lisa's assistance after a frantic search. A romantic moment with Lisa turns cringe-worthy when David accidentally plays the tape again, leading to further embarrassment and anger.
The tension escalates when David finds a photo of himself with a striking resemblance to Andy, and soon after discovers Lucille destroying the "Rent-A-Pal" tape. In a fit of rage, he lashes out at her, inadvertently pushing her down the basement stairs, resulting in severe injury. With his emotional and mental state deteriorating, David becomes an even darker reflection of himself as the tape of Andy incessantly plays in the background.
Things take a tragic turn when Lisa returns in hopes of reconciling, only to encounter Lucille's lifeless body. In a desperate attempt to silence her, David mimics Andy’s voice as he tries to prevent her from calling the authorities. The struggle culminates in Lisa stabbing David, forcing him into the basement where he hastily rewinds "Rent-A-Pal," ultimately facing the grim consequences of his actions as Andy bids farewell to him, marking a haunting end to his downward spiral.
