A former history teacher who has moved back to his childhood home in Collingswood, New Jersey, after spending time in a Baltimore psychiatric hospital, Pat believes he has been away only a few months, but soon realizes it has been years, and struggles to piece together his lost memories and what has become of his wife, Nikki.

Pat embarks on a plan of self-improvement in order to win Nikki back, including regular running and working out in a home gym.

At a dinner with his friend Ronnie and his wife Veronica, Pat is introduced to Tiffany Webster, who has also moved back home after losing her job after her husband's death.

Pat still does not recall how or why he was separated from his wife, and only when he watches the wedding video, which his mother had hidden, do the memories eventually return — with the realization that he and Nikki will never be reunited.

Pat explains that he asked his brother Jake to drive him to see Nikki, and observed her from afar, finally realizing she has a new family and is happy, and thus accepts it as the ending of the movie of his life.

In addition, some of the key plot points have been replaced; e.g., the film has a subplot about gambling that is not in the novel, the emphasis on tailgating[clarification needed] at Eagles games is downplayed, and several of the climactic events were adjusted.