[2][3] The aging of Rocky (the Peter Falk character) through creative make-up earned the picture an Academy Award nomination.

In 1963 Pittsburgh, Rocky Holzcek is a cantankerous 77-year-old Polish-American baker who insists, despite relatives' protests, upon adopting his young grandson Michael when the boy's parents pass away.

Twenty years later, Michael is a medical intern in Columbus who's forced to take in his still-spry grandfather when the old man is evicted from his apartment building.

At a college history class, Rocky explains that the "S" in Harry S Truman's name actually did stand for something, despite what the professor says, because it was a Russian name.

Michael decides he can't give up the children, and echoes Rocky when he tells Beth's mother "End of discussion!"

Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A" on scale of A+ to F.[4] The film was nominated for the Best Make-Up Oscar (Greg Cannom, Bob Laden, Colleen Callaghan), and was nominated for the Best Young Actress Award, Young Artist Awards (Courtney Chase).