After the death of her husband, Pearl Berman (Shirley MacLaine) finds herself being courted by an admiring Italian neighbor, Joe Meledandri (Marcello Mastroianni). Despite the objections of Pearl's mother (Jessica Tandy), and her two grown daughters, Norma (Marcia Gay Harden) and Bibby (Kathy Bates), Joe continues to pursue the reluctant Pearl and play an important role in the day-to-day life of her family.