Gum-chewing Paul's plans for a carefree summer are turned upside down when the turmoil plaguing America descends upon his family's otherwise quiet split-level suburban home. As another school year draws to a close, Paul's relaxing, gone-swimming, baseball-playing days of summer beckon until Mary - his older, anti-Establishment sister - drifts in from college with her granola munching roommate just in time to attend their brother Chris' high school graduation. After a commencement marked by the valedictorian's inflammatory protest speech, Chris- recently jilted in his pursuit of glory on the football field - begins making noise about marching off to boot camp instead of going to college. This unexpected prospect offends Mary's strident anti-war sensibilities, and the resulting spat between the two siblings quickly escalates into a Vietnam-sized conflict that leaves the whole family reeling.