The film was not considered a big financial success on initial release, though it became more popular as Hanks' fame grew.

[1] David Basner, a shallow, childish yuppie recently promoted at his Chicago ad agency, returns to work from a vacation.

David must now care for his aging, bitter father, Max, and support his emotionally fragile mother, Lorraine.

David is awakened late one night when his mother's date ends badly, and she reveals that Max humiliated her sexually and was unfaithful.

Woolridge insists that David accompany him to New York to promote the new ad campaign, which would prevent him from being present for Max's surgery.

When David confides in Donna about the situation at work and his father's health problems, she gives him a sympathetic ear.

[2] Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times awarded the film a 2.5 out of 4 stars and stated in his review, "The movie splits in two, starting out as a wise-guy comedy and ending up as the heart-breaking story of a yuppie who is trying to understand his bitter, lonely parents.

"[3] Stanley Kauffmann of The New Republic, while praising the work of Gleason and Hanks, was not impressed by Héctor Elizondo's performance.

[6] The movie inspired a short-lived NBC sitcom in 1987 that was scheduled to follow the highly rated Cheers.