It’s 1968.  Ten-year-old MICKEY ISENBERG comes from the nice, middle-class neighborhood of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where he lives with his Union Organizer dad, ISRAEL “IZZY” ISENBERG and his homemaking mom, DEBBIE ISENBERG.  Izzy and Mickey are very close to each other while there’s obvious tension between Debbie and Izzy. 

The not so typical breadwinner, Izzy, is street-wise and has an intimidating reputation that has been ingrained in him since his days in the old neighborhood of Detroit. 

Izzy is always looking out for his son and loves him dearly.  Debbie also grew up in the same neighborhood as Izzy and never wants to go back.  She’s not as much of an influence in Mickey’s life as Izzy is, but she is still very protective of him and wants a better life for her son.  Despite these good intentions Izzy and Debbie always clash.  Even when Debbie learns of Izzy’s affair with his secretary, she’s not intimidated by his temper as she threatens to leave him and take Mickey with her.  But that is the least of their problems.

Earlier that day, Mickey and Izzy go to an amusement park and a drunk picks on Mickey.  Izzy comes to his son’s defense by brutally beating the guy up.  Charges aren’t filed against him, so they both think it’s over.  Then the man dies of injuries sustained from the beating and the man’s family wants retribution. 

Izzy’s lawyer, ABE SCHWARTZ, tells him that there are only two alternatives.   He can either serve 10 years for 2^nd degree manslaughter, with a possibility of parole after 7 years served, or he can serve 2 years for involuntary manslaughter plus he has to pay $200,000.  Izzy unhappily goes for the latter alternative. 

He breaks the news to Debbie and tells her that he’s moving them back into their former house in Detroit.  Debbie is angry  and orders him to sleep on the couch until he leaves for prison. 

Unaware of the real reason, Mickey is excited about the move to the old neighborhood.   When they do move, Debbie is pleased to find improvements that Izzy’s made for their comfort.  Before he leaves for prison, Izzy breaks the news to Mickey.  He is distraught and nothing that Izzy promises him will cheer him up.  

When Mickey attends his first day of school, he makes friends with TERRI, RED, JOJO, REGINA, MELVIN, VENUS and enemies of EDWIN, BOBBY and GREG. 

Six months pass and Mickey is adjusting to his new life.  Debbie now works as a manager of a bowling alley.  One day, Mickey is walking home with Red and Terri from the grocery store when a car nearly takes Terri out and Mickey saves her. 

All this time, Mickey has been routinely picked-on by Edwin, Bobby, and Greg until Terri’s older brother, TERRENCE, comes to Mickey’s rescue.  He warns them not to mess with Mickey ever again and tells Edwin to give Mickey back all of the money that he’s extorted from him.   Edwin does and gets out of there.   Then Terrence thanks Mickey for saving his sister from getting hit by the car. 

Mickey comes home and Debbie tells him that she’s seeing other men.  Mickey inquires about whether or not Izzy knows.  Debbie tells him that he does.   At that same time, Izzy is reading her “Dear John” letter.  He goes into a flying rage and beats up the prison guards. 

Soon after, Debbie takes BERT in as her live-in boyfriend.  Mickey is less than happy about it.  

Mickey and Izzy keep in touch through letters and he tells his son that he’ll always be there for him.  Mickey gains some sense of comfort.  As for Izzy, he’s getting rehabilitated and learning to control his anger.  

When Mickey has a birthday party, Bert makes a racial slur against Mickey’s black friends.   Debbie starts to internally question her relationship with Bert.  

That night, UNCLE RAY, Izzy’s colleague, comes over with a gift from Izzy for Mickey.  Ray intimidates Bert as he gives Mickey the gift, which is a rare white German Shepard puppy that Mickey names “Snoopy”. 

They become inseparable and allies against Bert.  Bert hates the dog and gives it away.   Mickey and Debbie contact Izzy who promises to handle the situation.  He has Ray and a thug, THE POLL, persuade Bert to find the puppy or else.  After Bert returns Snoopy, Debbie kicks him out and warns him that if he ever comes back, Ray will be back with the Poll to fulfill their warning. 

In school, Edwin picks a fight with Mickey and Terrence steps in.  Mickey stops Terrence and challenges Edwin to a wrestling match.  Edwin accepts and Mickey beats him with a move he remembers from watching his favorite wrestler, Bobo Brazil.  Debbie sends a letter to Izzy thanking him for getting Snoopy back and tells Izzy that she wants him back home with her and Mickey.  When it’s time for Izzy to leave prison, he finds Mickey and Debbie waiting for him.  They are a family once again.  Izzy gets in their Cadillac and they drive back home.