Eddie Hayes [David Packer] is a newcomer to Los Angeles who arrives to restart his life after being left at the altar in his Ohio hometown. To his relief, his laid‑back, scheming cousin Skip [Scott McGinnis] lands him a shot at a job interview at an advertising firm led by the eccentric Peter Newcomb [David Leisure], though it quickly becomes clear that things are not what they seem. Rather than a straight path into a desk job, Eddie is steered toward meeting Peter’s half‑brother, Tony [Charles Grodin], at a sunlit beachside surfboard shop where flyers flutter from the walls and the atmosphere hums with oddball energy. The city feels both inviting and overwhelming, and Eddie finds himself amid a cast of characters who are as colorful as the neon billboards that light up the night.
From the moment Eddie crosses paths with Peggy Kellogg [Bridget Fonda], their encounter radiates flirtation and mischief. Peggy hands him a card from the dating service she works for, and Eddie is drawn into a series of misadventures designed to shake him out of his old routine. The thrill of possibility quickly collides with reality as Skip drops by on the boardwalk, urging him to “fake it until you make it,” a line that becomes a running theme as Eddie ventures deeper into Los Angeles’ bustling social scene. The new life Eddie pursues is not simply about landing a job; it becomes a quest to connect with others in a city where encounters can feel like performances and every moment could be a potential film reel.
Seeking to win Peggy’s attention, Eddie signs up for Video Valentine, a video dating service that pushes him into the spotlight and onto a string of blind dates that are anything but ordinary. On screen, Eddie tries to charm a sequence of women who prove to be strikingly unconventional. The first date introduces a Madonna‑look-alike whose ambition is larger than life, and who ironically helps Eddie understand that some ambitions are best left behind closed doors. The scene unfolds with a father figure offering Eddie a condom and a quick-arm reminder of the practicalities that come with intimate moments, followed by the woman delivering her headshot as if auditioning for a role in a director’s next project. The date ends with a provocative twist that leaves Eddie reeling but strangely exhilarated.
Eddie’s next video date dives into a more bohemian, performance‑art vibe with Rhonda [Kristy McNichol], a bold artist who drags him into a club that pulses with eccentric acts. Outside the venue, a tense moment erupts as someone chloroforms Eddie, and he awakens back at Rhonda’s place to a sharp rebuke about his “antiquated” views on love and relationships. The encounter culminates in a tense, camera‑charged escape as Rhonda wields a crossbow, adding a layer of danger to a night that began with flirtation and curiosity.
As Eddie’s social circle expands, his parents arrive unannounced, prompting Skip to stage a harmless “candid camera” moment to soften the shock. Eddie’s attempt to steer his dating life toward Peggy is complicated by her insistence on bringing a date to dinner with his parents, and a subsequent restroom encounter in which Peggy tries to push the moment further than Eddie is comfortable with. The evening spirals as Peggy later joins Eddie in a shop window scenario that testifies to a city where public display and private hopes collide in unsettling ways. Eventually, Eddie’s legal status becomes a concern when authorities intervene, and his parents bail him out only to reveal their disappointment in the misadventures that have defined his early days in L.A.
Skip’s family story intersects with Eddie’s in surprising ways, and the consequences begin to accumulate. After a party at the advertising firm’s apartment, Eddie is introduced to a senior ad executive who recognizes his potential and promotes him, even as a date Eddie has been seeing believes he’s wealthy enough to earn courting favors. The evening devolves when a larger, older man who has been seeing the same woman crashes the scene, leaving Eddie with a black eye and no easy resolution. The film then pivots toward a candid, unabashed self‑portrait as Eddie makes a final video that speaks plainly about his longing for love, away from the gloss of appearances and shallow thrills.
In a moment of hopeful honesty, Eddie’s final video resonates with women who respond to his sincerity, including Peggy. The film closes on a note of possibility as Skip—now working as a limo driver—drives him to a church where Peggy is serving as maid of honor. The two share a kiss, signaling a pivot from chaotic pursuit to the potential for genuine connection that may outlast the dazzling noise of Los Angeles’ social maze. Throughout, the film maintains a nimble, observational tone, painting Eddie’s misadventures against a backdrop of sunlit shorelines, urban canyons, and the frenetic energy of a city that rewards wit, nerve, and the stubborn conviction that love might just be worth the trouble.
