Jack Sturges has found the woman he wants to marry; unfortunately, her precocious, wise-cracking son doesn't seem to like him. Young Ben Archer, whose biological father left at an early age, won't accept her mother's boyfriends until he puts them through a grueling psychological obstacle course to earn his respect. Jack suffers the indignities forced on him by his adolescent adversary in order to win the hand of the woman he loves.