An American artist living a bohemian existence in Paris, Tom Warshaw is trying to make sense of his troubled adult life by reflecting on his extraordinary childhood.

While his bereaved single mother mourns the recent death of his father, Tommy escapes grief by causing trouble at school and making afternoon deliveries with his best friend Pappas, a middle-aged mentally challenged janitor.

However, when Tommy's mother dies by overdosing on sedatives, Lady helps him to realize that he should leave New York to live life anew.

"[2] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 33 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.

The DVD contains special features, including commentary with David Duchovny and the cast, and a behind-the-scenes featurette called The Making of House of D.[citation needed]