Workaholic Daniel Miller (David Paymer) is forced to drive his family carpool when his wife (Stellina Rusich) becomes ill. He is in the middle of a huge advertising campaign for Hammerman's, a large chain of delis, and initially refuses the carpool until his wife guilts him into it. It includes his two sons, Andrew and Bucky (Mikey Kovar Micah Gardener), two local girls; Chelsea (Colleen Rennison) and her older sister, Kayla (Rachael Leigh Cook), and local weirdo Travis (Jordan Blade Warkol). Meanwhile, Franklin Laszlo (Tom Arnold (actor)) is the owner of a failing carnival. He has the bright idea to rob a bank in order to get the money to keep his business going. As he leaves to attempt his bank robbery, he enters a local Hammerman's where Daniel is also at. Inside, two gunmen hold it up and eventually a standoff ensues between them, an older woman, Franklin, and a local detective, Lt. Erdman (Kim Coates). Through a series of misunderstandings, Franklin takes Daniel hostage and the money the gunmen had stolen from the deli. Heading to his car, Franklin kidnaps Daniel and the kids. The group, however, bonds through a series of misadventures; stopping at a hair salon to use the bathroom, evading the police using a disguise, and eventually being chased by a obsessed meter maid, Martha (Rhea Perlman). Franklin reveals to the group the reason behind his robbery and kidnapping: keeping his carnival open so he can see his son.