Taking Off

That evening, the Tynes return to find their teenage daughter Jeannie missing, triggering a frantic search around their home. The film hints she is at an audition, with clips from future star performers like Carly Simon and Kathy Bates recurring throughout the story.

The Tynes ring the Divitos, whose daughter is supposed to be with Jeannie. The Divitos' daughter claims she doesn't know where Jeannie is, adding another layer of uncertainty to the search.

Enlisting their friends Tony and Margot, the couple splits up to search for Jeannie. The men head to neighborhood bars while the women stay by the phone and gossip about sex, hoping for a lead.

After returning home drunk, the men are surprised when Jeannie reappears briefly, only to disappear again soon after. The uncertainty and repeated disappearances heighten the parents' anxiety about her safety.

The next day, Larry goes into the city to search for Jeannie and meets Ann Lockston, another parent also looking for a missing daughter. Ann tells him about a self-help group for parents in their predicament, offering a potential support network.

Police from upstate call the Tynes to say their daughter has been arrested 300 miles away for stealing. The couple rushes to see her, only to discover it is the Divitos' girl in custody under a false name.

On the way back, the Tynes stop at a hotel where Ike & Tina Turner are performing. A drunk Lynn is followed to their room by an amorous stranger, unaware that Larry is asleep in the bed.

After the incident, Lynn tries out some of the tips Margot had confided to her earlier, experimenting with new attitudes and behaviors in the charged hotel room setting.

Back in the city, Larry and Lynn attend a formal dinner for the self-help group. Marijuana joints are handed around, and a young man named Schiavelli teaches the parents how to smoke them.

Feeling happily inebriated, Larry and Lynn take Ann and her husband Ben back to their home for more drinks and a game of strip poker. The gathering underscores the film's satirical look at parenting and adult boundaries.

As the party spirals, a naked Larry climbs onto the table to sing Libiamo ne' lieti calici, a moment of comic excess that highlights the chaotic mood of the evening.

Jeannie reappears as the chaos peaks, prompting the guests to hastily exit. Her unexpected return ends the adults' revelry and shifts the evening’s focus back to the family.

Jeannie confesses that she has been with a boy, prompting Larry to suggest bringing him home for dinner soon. The moment reframes parental rules and expectations about dating.

The boy turns out to be an intelligent, wealthy musician who declines to perform for the family. Instead, Larry entertains everyone with 'Stranger in Paradise,' closing the scene on a musical note.