A former security guard, Walt Koontz (Robert De Niro), experiences a severe stroke, and must begin physical therapy after leaving the hospital. Part of Walt's recovery program includes regaining his speech by taking singing lessons, and he gets paired with Rusty (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a vocal instructor and neighbor. Walt, however, is extremely homophobic, and Rusty is flamboyantly gay and awaiting gender reassignment surgery, so the two don't have an easy start to their relationship.