A completely new, revolutionary approach to the family comedy genre.
For Royal Tenenbaum, a lawyer who has long since separated from his wife Etelene and been disbarred, times are tough. His three adult sons were once child prodigies. They are tired of their father and have come to live with their mother, each with their own problems. Etelene, meanwhile, lives the high life, is in love with her business partner, and is happy with her life. To get his wife and children back, Royal pretends to have cancer.