Tully, a once promising writer, hides in the shadow of his famous writer father. When Tully meets Natalie at his regular watering hole, his quick-witted cynicism soon subsides, as he welcomes into his life a real relationship. But the years of drinking catch up with him, resulting in a serious health crisis. Although he first tries to push Natalie and his friend Levine away, he soon embraces their help as he struggles with detox, while racing against time to finish his Great American Novel.