- A story of a man who fakes his own death and assumes a new identity in order to escape his life, who then moves in with a woman who is also trying to leave her past behind.
- Wallace Avery hates his job. His ex-wife and son hate him, and he's blown his one shot at living his dream. Not wanting to face all this, he stages his own death and buys himself a new identity as Arthur Newman. However, Arthur's road trip towards anew life is interrupted by the arrival of the beautiful but fragile Mike, who is also trying to leave her past behind. Drawn to one another, these two damaged souls begin to connect as they break into empty homes and take on the identities of the absent owners: elderly newlyweds, a high-roller and his Russian lady, among others. Through this process, Arthur and Mike discover that what they love most about each other are the identities they left at home, and their real journey, that of healing, begins.—Becky Johnston
- Wallace Avery was not happy in his job in Orlando as a FedEx manager. In fact, he had very little contact with his 13-year-old son Kevin, whose mother left him and took Kevin when he was six. So Wallace is planning big changes in his life. He makes one last visit to his girlfriend Mina, not telling her of his plans, buys a Mercedes, gets a backpack full of cash and pays a man $3000 to give him a new identity. Arthur Newman was born in 1964 and died in 2010. Now Wallace has documentation, including a driver's license, that he is Arthur Newman.
Before he disappears, Wallace goes to the house where his ex and son live but stays outside, never letting them know where he is. There is also a scene where Wallace gives his son a present.
Wallace goes to a beach, leaves behind his old driver's license and shoes, and then disappears. As Arthur, he picks up his Mercedes and starts on his new life.
Cops show up at the beach when it appears Wallace is missing.
As Arthur, Wallace sees a man getting arrested and a woman with serious problems being dragged from a car. Later, Wallace hears a disturbed woman acting strangely outside his motel room. He asks the woman what is wrong, and she is apparently so high on drugs she can't provide a satisfactory answer. So "Arthur" takes her to the hospital where he finds her driver's license which says she is Michaela Fitzgerald of Durham, North Carolina. "Mike", as she calls herself, denies that is her name but does not explain.
A doctor explains that Mike overdosed and lets Arthur visit. Mike is aware enough to plead with Arthur to stay the night with her. He doesn't, but he shows up when she is ready to leave to take her where she needs to go. And so the adventure begins.
Mike tries to put her on a bus to Durham. Mike refuses, but then a man has a serious health problem and people ask if anyone can help. Is Arthur a doctor? The viewer doesn't know yet what he was in his past life, but Arthur feels obligated to give CPR and Mike holds the man's hand. The man doesn't make it and there is no ID.
At some point Mike was snooping and has found Arthur is actually Wallace, but she has fun pretending so she will go along with the gag.
Mike wants an adventure, and when the couple sees an older couple in a truck indicating they were just married, she wants to follow. The bride left her veil behind so Arthur is willing to follow so they can return it. The older couple leaves on their honeymoon and Mike breaks into the house, puts on the veil and finds a dress that looks like a bride would wear it. Arthur reluctantly goes along with the plan to pretend they are married. Then they go off in search of their next adventure. Whenever they stay in a motel they start out in separate rooms but Mike is afraid to be alone. Arthur's room has two beds.
Meanwhile, Mina gets the news Wallace is missing and the search is on. When evidence is found, Mina visits Kevin and his mother. Neither seem too upset because Kevin feels Wallace was a bad father. However, Kevin eventually visits Wallace's house and finds Mina there, and discovers a room which looks like it should be his, and yet he never stayed there.
At some point Arthur explains he is a golf pro and headed to Terre Haute. Later, he says he gave advice to a man who appreciated it and said he owned a country club in Terre Haute and if Arthur (the name he gave himself at the time) wanted a job there, he could have it. A flashback and an online video do show Wallace was actually on the PGA Tour but didn't do too well. Also, Mike says she had to put her twin sister in the "looney bin", and eventually explains the sister and their mother had serious mental problems, and Mike thinks it's just a matter of time before she is the same way. After all, look at her bizarre behavior so far. Eventually, Mike confesses she is Charlotte and Michaela is the sister, but she still wants to go by Mike.
After the couple have several more adventures which involve breaking and entering, and several more nights in motels or hotels, they arrive in Terre Haute. No one seems to question when they show up at the club and claim to know the owner Chuck. And they have a good time and pretend they are part of the country club life. Chuck shows up later and is glad to see Arthur.
Except for one thing. Arthur Newman was never a golf pro. Chuck threatens to call the police, and Arthur knows the job is out of the question.
In another hotel, Arthur wakes up to find Mike gone, along with his money. A cop asks Arthur to come with him and it's not what the viewer thinks. In fact, Mike was caught with Arthur's money. Arthur claims he gave it to her. But there is more. Mike was caught with wallets and other items from everyone they encountered. The man who died? He can now be identified.
Arthur insists on returning the wallet to the man's widow, and Mike goes with him. The woman is very distraught.
Finally, Mike returns to Durham to the hospital where she visits her sister.
And Wallace returns to his former family. The movie ends before there is a reaction from them.
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