In the '80s, Mack Cameron (Timothy Bottoms) was a star in his own right but now, as a middle-aged actor in Hollywood, he's working like crazy to stay in the game. Movie shoots keep him from his wife Liz (Meredith Baxter) and two sons for long stretches of time and his marriage is suffering from his absence. Mack is locked in battle between work and family when he's offered a role in a small independent film shooting in his hometown of Littleton, Texas. He grudgingly accepts the part, bringing the family along in a last-ditch attempt to reconnect with his sons and save his marriage. Everything changes for 12-year-old CJ (Ben Estus) when he is cast as Mack's co-star. Although he's a gifted performer, the kid is misunderstood by just about everyone. Bullies seek him out at school, while his father pushes him to play baseball like the other boys. After a promising start to the shoot, Mack's decision to put his family first has repercussions on his career. At odds with himself, he lashes out at everyone on set nearly taking out the production along with CJ's blossoming career. As Mack's life unravels, CJ unknowingly inspires him to take a hard look at his own ambition and find something he didn't know he was missing; Mack must nearly lose it all before he discovers that his heart lies not in Hollywood, but with his family in Littleton--his Paradise, Texas.