Slums of Beverly Hills
Vivian Abromowitz's family are penniless nomads, moving from one cheap apartment to another in Beverly Hills, so that Vivian and her brothers can attend the city's schools. Her father Murray, a divorced 65-year-old who refuses to retire, works as an unsuccessful Oldsmobile salesman at a time when sales of small foreign cars such as Hondas and Toyotas are booming while those of large American vehicles are flat or falling.
Vivian's wealthy Uncle Mickey (Reiner) regularly sends the family money to help them survive. When Mickey's 29-year-old daughter Rita (Tomei) runs away from a rehab facility, Murray (Arkin) offers her shelter if Mickey will pay for a plush apartment. Vivian must babysit her adult cousin, making sure she gets to nursing school and avoids pills and booze. But Vivian has her own problems: she's curious about sex, likes an older neighbor kid (Corrigan), has inherited her mother's ample breasts, and wants a family that doesn't embarrass her.
Vivian's older brother (Krumholtz) aspires to be successful in show business, while her dad aspires to feminine companionship but won't give in to a wealthy lady-friend's desire that he should send his kids back East to live with his estranged wife. Vivian's younger brother simply aspires to get attention.
Vivian and Rita become close and speak sometimes in gibberish. Vivian learns that Rita has no desire to go to nursing school and also has no clue as to what to do with her life. Murray attempts to cover up Rita's lack of progress at nursing school with the help of his kids. Eventually, Mickey, frustrated at having to support his brother's family and also learning of their deception concerning his daughter, explodes during a meeting between the two families, telling Murray he's tired of sending them money. Depressed and dejected, Murray once again packs the kids into his car and they take off. In an attempt to cheer her father up, Vivian suggests that the family stop for steak for breakfast—a ritual regularly shared by the family as a means of cheering themselves up.
