Ted is a 1970s Venice Beach poet who spends his days drifting along the boardwalk, reciting his poetry to anyone who will listen. His life changes when a bikini-clad beauty named Linda strolls by him. Instantly, Ted believes he's found his "Venus" and becomes obsessed with Linda. He tries to woo her with poetry, obscene phone calls and romantic overtures, all to disastrous effect.
Actress Myrtle Gordon is a functioning alcoholic who is a few days from the opening night of her latest play, concerning a woman distraught about aging. One night a car kills one of Myrtle's fans who is chasing her limousine in an attempt to get the star's attention. Myrtle internalizes the accident and goes on a spiritual quest, but fails to finds the answers she is after. As opening night inches closer and closer, fragile Myrtle must find a way to make the show go on.
Peter Falk é Nick Longhetti, chefe de família que precisa lidar com a instabilidade mental de sua esposa Mabel (Gena Rowlands). Ele luta de todas as formas para manter uma aparente normalidade diante do comportamento bizarro da mulher. Mas quando as ações de Mabel começam a afetar os próprios filhos, Nick é obrigado a tomar medidas drásticas.
18-year-old Sean's first summer after completing high school is much spent with 28-year-old teacher Diane, who's husband is too often motorcycle-racing instead of with her. Wacko Ralph also has "the hots" for Diane; and it doesn't help that Sean was with Ralph's younger brother, Lou, when Lou died
Depressed and jaded after being dumped by her married boyfriend, aging beauty Minnie Moore wonders if she'll ever find love. After shaggy-haired parking lot attendant Seymour Moskowitz comes to her defense from an angry and rebuffed blind date, he falls hopelessly in love with her despite their myriad differences. Minnie reluctantly agrees to a date with Moskowitz, and, slowly but surely, an unlikely romance blossoms between the two.
Richard Frost (John Marley) resolveu deixar sua esposa, Maria (Lynn Carlin), para se encontrar com a jovem Jeannie Rapp (Gena Rowlands), que conheceu recentemente em um bar. Maria, por sua vez, decide ir a uma boate, onde se deixa seduzir por um garoto de programa.
