Plot
The film follows three members of the Borden family as they deal with their various struggles involving love. Bill, the family patriarch and an accomplished novelist and college professor, has been spying on his ex-wife Erica in her home with her new husband Martin while pretending to jog, taking note that they have been fighting a lot recently. Sam, Bill's college age daughter, has become cynical when it comes to love in the wake of her parent's divorce, and prefers one night stands with people she knows are less intelligent than her to shield herself from relationships. Rusty, Bill's high school age son, is an introvert who has a crush on Kate, a popular girl who has a boyfriend.
On Thanksgiving, Bill asks Rusty to set a place for Erica. Sam arrives and announces she is having her first novel published. Bill, having raised his children to be writers, is initially thrilled, but becomes upset when he learns it is a different novel instead of one he had been helping Sam write. While alone, Sam refuses Rusty's offer to attend a second Thanksgiving with Erica and Martin, citing Erica's betrayal of Bill. Bill accepts Sam's book being published, but Sam admonishes him for spying on Erica and allowing her leaving to keep him from writing. Sam and Rusty talk on the roof of their home, where he speaks about his crush on Kate, saying he hears the song I've Just Seen A Face by The Beatles when he thinks of her. Sam encourages him to focus on having fun instead of pining for love. Later that night, Erica visits Bill at his house to talk about how Sam has cut Erica out of her life, saying Bill's refusal to move on is the cause. Bill says that he intends to keep his promise, for which Erica says he is released from that promise before leaving frustrated.
Rusty reads a poem in class about an angel, which catches Kate's attention. At home, he finds Bill reading his journal, which Bill has been paying his sister and him to keep instead of a part-time job to encourage their writing. Bill confesses he was checking the dates, as he usually does, but was hooked by a line Rusty had written about Kate. He tells Rusty he must be courageous in his life in order to have material worth writing about. Rusty, along with his friend Jason, bribe their way into a party with marijuana in an attempt to follow his father's advice. Seeing Kate doing cocaine in the bathroom with her boyfriend Glen, he tries to leave when the two suddenly get into a public argument and Glen shoves Kate to the ground. Rusty punches Glen and flees with Kate and Jason. Bruised and high, Kate asks to stay with Rusty to avoid going home to her parents in such a state. While Rusty is tucking her in, Kate asks if his poem was about her. He confesses it was, and they kiss and begin a relationship.
While attending a show at a bar, Sam is approached by Lou and warned against instigating a hook up with a band mate. Sam, sensing Lou is more into relationships, rebuffs him, but Lou says he will see her in their mutual writing seminar. Bill has been having an affair with his married neighbor Tricia, who encourages him to start online dating to get over Erica. While Christmas shopping, Bill runs into Erica and they talk over coffee. Bill says that if given the chance, he would be a much better husband. He later follows Tricia's advice and begins online dating with her help. After a decent date, he stops by Erica's house and leaves his wedding ring on the windowsill as a sign of moving on. He does a double take, however, when he sees Erica is reading one of his books, and decides to keep his ring.
Sam is once again approached by Lou, who strong arms her into a coffee date. While discussing their taste in literature, Sam is stunned to learn they have the same favorite book and leaves abruptly, refusing to be roped into a relationship. When she notices he has not been attending the writing seminar, she tracks him down to his home and learns he is taking care of his mother, who is terminally ill. Humbled, she agrees to a dinner date, where Lou asks about her book. Sam reveals that the story is based on Erica's infidelity with Martin before her divorce from Bill. She tells about an incident when she was a teenager and secretly saw Erica and Martin about to have sex on the beach near their home. When Martin asked what if Bill were to see, Erica replied "I don't care". In the car, while discussing music, Sam asks Lou to play his favorite song, Between the Bars by Elliot Smith. Overwhelmed, Sam starts crying, confessing she is scared and doesn't want to get hurt. Lou promises not to hurt her, and they share a kiss.
On Christmas, Rusty and Kate have sex in his closet, which she says will be to make sure he never forgets. They exchange gifts, Kate giving Rusty her favorite album, and Rusty giving her a copy of It by Stephen King, his favorite book. Rusty introduces Kate to Erica and Martin, but Erica catches Kate rifling through their medicine cabinet in the bathroom, although she does not call her out. At Sam's book-launch, Bill makes a speech about the writing process. Sam, unaware about Kate's drug habit, persuades the bartender of the event to let Kate have some champagne. Lou invites Erica, who is uncomfortable, but Bill encourages her to talk to Sam. When Erica tries, Sam pretends not to know her and coldly signs her copy before saying she hopes she enjoys the book. Sam breaks up with Lou for inviting Erica. Rusty becomes concerned when he can't find Kate, and they discover that she took many drinks from the bartender before leaving with one of Sam's classmates, Gus. The Borden family, including Erica, pile into the car and race to find Kate. Locating Gus's apartment, Bill confronts him and learns he gave her cocaine, while Erica finds Kate unconscious and carries her out to the car. In the car, Rusty peeks under the blanket she is wrapped in and sees she is undressed, likely indicating that Kate was assaulted. He begins crying.
Kate writes to Rusty from rehab, apologizing and saying that only she can fix herself, and hoping to one day be worthy of him. He is later beaten up by Glen when he runs into him at a convenience store, starts drinking heavily, and Bill finds him sleeping in his closet. A concerned Bill suggests Rusty channel his pain into his writing. When Rusty asks if Bill did the same when Erica left, Bill grounds him. Rusty writes a short story entitled "I've Just Seen A Face", and passes a copy of it to Sam. Later, his favorite author Stephen King calls, as Sam gave it to him, who gets it published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction .
Bill confesses to Sam that when she was an infant, he left Erica for six months. When he returned and she took him back without question, he promised to wait if she ever did the same. Sam is initially furious her father allowed her to hate her mother without revealing the reason for his loyalty, but says that Bill has exceeded his promise by waiting for three years. Bill remains steadfast in his belief that Erica will return, saying she is a far better person than he is. Lou calls Sam and says his mother has passed. She supports him through the funeral and, fearful of losing her own mother now that she knows the truth, reconciles with Erica.
Now Thanksgiving time once again, Bill finally chooses not to set a place for Erica, having decided to move on. Sam and Lou arrive, having gotten back together. As the family sits to eat, the doorbell rings, and Rusty goes to answer, thinking it might be Kate. Instead, Erica is present, and asks that Rusty have Bill answer. When Bill goes to the door, Erica tearfully asks if there is still a place for her. Bill welcomes her inside, and Rusty announces his story being published to the joy of the family. In the closing shot, Bill narrates the final lines from his favorite book, "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love": "I could hear my heart beating. I could hear everyone's heart. I listened to the human noise we sat there making. Not one of us moving. Not even as the room went dark."
