Matt is your typical angst ridden fourteen-year-old boy. It’s just his Mum, Jo, and little brother Artie in the house after their Dad died four years ago, so Matt is often called the man of the house.
Matt sets off when he learns of Jo’s plans to sell her deceased husband’s Datsun, because Matt had always thought it would be his when he was old enough to drive, something his Dad promised him. Jo tasks Matt with babysitting Artie while Jo goes on a date, but he has other plans. Matt recruits his best friend, Howie, to drive with him to buy beer and then to a party in the woods. Elise, Matt’s crush, will be there, too.
Howie thinks they look too young to accomplish their goals. Matt dresses in his Dad’s clothes, in an attempt to look older. Howie realizes he's more likely to get beer if he is dressed in Jo’s clothes. They rope Artie into their plan, assume their new looks and head to the garage. They take the Datsun on what might be their first and last joyride.
Howie’s plan works, although he steals the beer, on the way to the party. They arrive to the adoration of their party-going peers. They have the beer, the coolest car, and their outfits are admired as sort of punk rock. Plus, Artie makes all the girls swoon. Matt gets a moment with Elise in the Datsun but is stricken with a panic attack when he has the opportunity to kiss her. The car has turned on him, and he needs to get out. The weight of his Dad’s car, the prospect of confronting Jo, the beer, the attention of Elise, not knowing where Artie went all make Matt go wild. He drives recklessly, speeding, wild, feral. He scares Artie and even scares Howie, who never cares much about anything.
Matt’s driving gets the attention of a local Cop. The Cop pursues Matt, who begins a high-speed chase towards his house. It comes to a head when Matt pulls into his driveway. Jo hears the Cop coming and quickly closes the garage door behind them. The Cop pulls in and Jo attempts to stop the Cop from entering further. In the background, Matt snaps. Everything he’s been feeling comes to the surface, especially the lie they’ve been living that his Dad died because he was sick. Matt takes a crowbar to the Datsun and smashes it over and over. The cop is stunned, and Jo falls apart. He killed himself. Matt breaks down and cries and lets himself become a child in Jo’s arms.