In a twist of unfortunate fate, Nick Gardenia (Chevy Chase) finds himself reluctantly holed up in an idyllic oceanside cabin in Big Sur, California thanks to a friend's suggestion. However, the peaceful atmosphere is abruptly interrupted when two desperate bank robbers force their way in, thrusting Nick into an unplanned role in a heist targeting a bank in Carmel. Their dubious plan includes the abduction of an innocent bystander, shoving them into a robbery at gunpoint before discarding them like surplus baggage. Unfortunately for Nick, his inherent klutziness leads to a disastrous mishap inside the bank. As he tumbles onto the floor, he's helped up and unwittingly locks eyes with a security camera, sealing his fate.
The fallout from this unforeseen event quickly catches up to him. Ira Parks (George Grizzard), the district attorney of Los Angeles, receives an incriminating photograph of Nick. To his dismay, his assistant Fred (portrayed by Harold Gould) identifies Nick as the ex-husband of Ira’s wife, which throws a wrench into Ira's ambitions of becoming Attorney General. Faced with the embarrassment this revelation could generate, Ira finds himself in a state of utter frustration.
Adding to the tumult is Ira's wife, Glenda (Goldie Hawn), a public defender and lawyer. Her instinct to defend Nick, a man she believes is innocent of the crimes attributed to him, clashes with her husband's potential political scandal. After a grueling day navigating the legal system, Glenda is greeted with a daunting mix of news: she's elated about Ira's announcement of his candidacy for Attorney General, yet shocked to learn of Nick's alleged criminal involvement.
As fate would have it, the robbers leave Nick out in the open, forcing him to escape through tricky terrain toward Glenda and Ira’s home in Brentwood. In a moment of sheer desperation, he stops a gas station attendant for candy bars to keep his energy up. Meanwhile, during a party at her home, Glenda discovers Nick hiding in her garage while searching for one of her dogs. He begs her for help, and despite the mounting presence of law enforcement, she cleverly manages to sneak him some food. To her dismay, however, she stands firm on not aiding him further unless he agrees to surrender.
Relenting to the gravity of the situation, Glenda allows Nick to slip into a guest room above the garage. Determined to prove his innocence, Nick sets out to track down the real criminals while evading both the police and Ira's increasingly frantic search efforts. Meanwhile, Glenda strives to keep his presence under wraps, particularly from her spirited maid Aurora De La Hoya (T.K. Carter), who is recovering from surgery and adding her own brand of chaos to the eventful household.
As the anticipated visit from the governor approaches, Ira grapples with the undeniable truth that Nick had indeed been a victim manipulated into the heist. In the midst of a whirlwind of issues—overwhelming court cases for Glenda, Aurora’s culinary mishaps, and Ira's own mounting tension—Nick unexpectedly resurfaces, resolute to turn himself in. However, his intentions spiral out of control during a chaotic dinner attempt with the governor, leading to a fracas involving Ira and Nick that finds Fred helplessly flat on the floor.
When the chaos finally subsides, the Parks family faces the remarkable fallout of their actions, resulting in a haphazard assembly in court with Judge John Channing (Charles Grodin). The judge, bewildered by the day’s events, is soon met with surprising news from the police: the robbers have been caught, bolstered by evidence provided by none other than Aurora and her dogs, ultimately lifting the veil on Nick's innocence.
In the days that follow, Nick and Glenda are left to process their complex feelings amidst the dust of the case. In an emotional moment, Glenda resolves to stand by Ira, sharing a bittersweet farewell kiss with Nick. As time passes, Ira and Glenda attempt to embark on a road trip to escape their troubles but are swiftly met with yet another chaotic encounter—a near miss with a cow and an ensuing car accident leaves Ira with a broken leg. In her quest for help, Glenda stumbles upon a cabin glowing with light, and in a twist of fate, finds Nick himself opening the door to her plea for assistance.
