David Gordon, a recently widowed science fiction writer, considers adopting Dennis, a young orphaned boy who claims to be from Mars. Ignoring some sage advice about the perils of parenthood from his sister Liz and the qualms of children’s group home director Sophie, David decides he wants to be a father to the odd youngster who keeps insisting he is an alien. Even with the support of his friend, Harlee, who David finds himself increasingly attracted to, the aspiring dad soon finds himself in way over his head. For starters, David’s in danger of missing his next publishing deadline, and that has his nervous agent, Jeff, worried. And then there is the social worker, Lefkowitz, and his review board who also have some serious doubts about David’s suitability as a dad.In the midst of all this, young Dennis exhibits some pretty strange behavior and adamantly insists that he does indeed come from the red planet. A series of inexplicable events ultimately leads David to wonder whether the boy’s claims are indeed based on fantasy. But whatever the true origins of this remarkable little boy, David gradually finds himself growing more attached to him and experiencing the transformational power of parental love.