After being confronted by the self-righteous and domineering Paulina Pritchett, Mary Ann is forced to choose between singing professionally or remaining in the choir.

Choosing the former, she and Darrin leave on a bus, sadly waving goodbye to their beloved Aunt Sally.

In 2003, Darrin is a successful advertising executive in New York City with a bad habit of lying; Mary Ann was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was a teenager.

However, Darrin has achieved so much under false pretenses, having faked his high school and college diplomas, and lied about being the son of a congressman.

Darrin returns to Monte Carlo and finds new friends in Paulina's grandson, Jimmy B. and Lucious, the town's happy-go-lucky, womanizing cab driver.

After several setbacks, Darrin eventually recruits many new members, mostly by promising them half the prize money to them (though he has no intention of doing so).

He also reconnects with his childhood friend and crush Lilly, who was also ostracized for being a nightclub singer, and having a son out of wedlock, Dean.

Lilly initially refuses to join the choir, but with some assurance from Darrin, she ultimately becomes the new lead singer, with Paulina quitting in retaliation.

Lilly, furious and heartbroken that Darrin had been using her, coldly tells him that she does not care, and the choir members begin to panic and become angry at him for his lies.

Darrin, however, rebukes them for their hypocrisy in joining the choir to get paid, and the other churchgoers for running him and his mother out of town simply over her decision to pursue her singing dreams.

In addition, the church is to undergo expansion, and Paulina has returned to the choir after seemingly changing her ways.

Several other songs performed during the movie, including "Church Is in Mourning (Aunt Sally's Funeral Tribute)" by Shirley Caesar, "Won't Ever Change" by Mary Mary, "Waiting" by Ramiyah, and "Soldier" by The Blind Boys of Alabama, were also not included on the soundtrack.