Plot: Following a short week-long courtship, upscale Chicagoans George and Madeleine get married. Six months into their marriage, Madeleine, the owner curator of an art gallery specializing in the works of self-taught artists, has the chance to sign David Wark, a yet unknown artist who lives in rural North Carolina. Madeleine and George use the opportunity of Madeleine to meet with Wark personally to visit George's southern fundamentalist Christian family, who also live in rural North Carolina, a half hour away from Wark. This visit will be Madeleine's first meeting with George's family, who consists of: his quiet father, woodworker Eugene; his quietly but still obviously disapproving mother, Peg; his deadbeat and always angry brother, Johnny; and Johnny's nine month pregnant wife, the upbeat Ashley, who tries to see the good in everything. Despite having nothing in common on the surface with his southern roots, George still loves his family. And Madeleine wants so much for George's family to like her, despite their obvious differences. These differences may become an issue for their marriage, especially as Madeleine has problems in her negotiations with Wark, and as Johnny and Ashley deal with their own marital and family issues.
Alternative Plot: On the way to meet with an independent artist in the South, newlywed art dealer Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz) is convinced by her husband, George (Alessandro Nivola), that they should stop to meet his family in North Carolina. Madeleine's affluent lifestyle clashes with the family, but she befriends George's wide-eyed and pregnant sister-in-law, Ashley (Amy Adams), who is nearing her due date. Through the family, Madeleine gains greater insight into George's character.
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