26-year-old Ella dreams of becoming a singer, but her overbearing Greek mother, Despina, insists she take over the gyros business and marry a Greek man. After her sudden death, Despina's larger-than-life presence refuses to fade, haunting Ella with even more unsolicited advice from beyond the grave.

It's 1993 and North Carolina is experiencing a historic drought. Autistic teen Carl, fascinated by weather, predicts that a storm will soon hit nearby. His sister Sam crafts a plan to help him chase the storm, stealing their mother's ice-cream truck to embark on a road trip about family, forgiveness, and following your dreams.