After spending a decade behind bars for writing bad checks and punching a cop, former rodeo star J.W. Coop (Cliff Robertson) re-enters a world drastically different from how he left it; the only constant seems to be his mother (Geraldine Page). Gradually coming to terms with societal changes and cultural norms, Coop is determined to climb back to the top spot on the rodeo circuit. Along the way, he hooks up with Bean (Cristina Ferrare), a liberated woman who helps him catch up to modern life.