After Violet half-heartedly and grudgingly informs her daughters and her family, which includes her boisterous and rowdy sister Mattie (Margo Martindale) and her husband Charlie (Chris Cooper) of her husband's disappearance, they congregate.
Each one comes with their own baggage of heartaches, pain and anguish. Barbara, the oldest comes with her soon to be divorced husband Bill (Ewan McGregor) and teen daughter Jean (Abigail Breslin). Karen the other daughter comes with her scummy fiance Steve (Dermot Mulroney). Also there is the cousin, 'Little Charlie' and the live-in maid.
Once cooped together, their anguish explodes exposing the angst and resentment that each member of the family harbours within them and against each other. The dining table is the battlefield where issues, problems and secrets are discussed and trashed.
Each character, from the oldest to the youngest is well defined with each one having a meaningful and crucial moment to display their histrionics.
