The film is a black comedy, narrated by and centred around self-absorbed, manipulative, cynical teenager Dede Truitt (Christina Ricci), who runs away from home after her stepfather's funeral and moves in with her half-brother Bill (Martin Donovan), a teacher in a conservative, suburban community in Indiana.Dedee seduces Bill's young lover, Matt (Ivan Sergei), then tricks him into believing she has got pregnant by him. In fact, the father of her child is her ex-boyfriend Randy Cates (William Lee Scott). She and Matt elope, leaving Bill and the uptight Lucia (Lisa Kudrow), the sister of Bill's deceased partner Tom, to track them down and sort out the mess. In the meantime, Matt's "bit on the side," Jason Bock (Johnny Galecki), attempts to blackmail Bill, claiming Bill sexually assaulted him while he was a student. Bill and Lucia find Dedee and Matt, only to discover Dedee has stolen Tom's ashes and is holding them for ransom. Randy also finds Dedee; they inform Matt that they are taking the ashes and moving to have the baby elsewhere. They escape but soon get into an argument that leads to Dede accidentally shooting and killing Randy. She and Matt escape to Canada, and Bill eventually finds them.After the birth of Randy Jr., Dedee returns Tom's ashes to Bill, apologising for her actions in the past year. After a few months in prison, she moves back in with Bill, while Matt and Jason go traveling together, and Lucia marries her old friend Carl (Lyle Lovett). Eventually, Dede decides that Randy Jr. would be better off alone with Bill (who is now dating Dedee's parole officer) and runs away.Narrating the ending, Dedee sarcastically concludes that sex is precisely the opposite of what people should want, leading as it does to kids, disease or, worst of all, relationships. At the end of the film, the vignettes of the various caring relationships among the characters shows the opposite of superficial sexual gratification. Dede leaves it to the viewer to imagine whether or not she returns to her family.
Who is a teacher in a conservative, suburban community in Indiana?
Bill