At a midwestern college in 1951, student Mary Crawford has the combined good and bad fortune to meet Andy Schmidt, a remarkably conceited young man who is convinced that he is tremendously talented and has every intention of becoming a star. Andy is so obnoxious, he wants Mary to marry him fast before he becomes too famous to give her a second look. She can't resist him, try as she might. Mary takes her new boyfriend home to Columbus, Ohio, to meet her strait-laced parents. Andy proceeds to annoy them in every possible way, hugging them, calling them "Tom and Mom," interrupting dinner to do a series of impressions, thoroughly ruining the visit.