In Los Angeles, the loosely intertwined stories of four different extended families from four different ethno-cultural backgrounds - the Hispanic Avilas, the Vietnamese Nguyens, the Jewish Seeligs and the black Williamses - gathering for their respective Thanksgiving dinners are presented. Their stories are remarkably similar, but each with their own ethno-cultural spin: turkey with a twist being prepared primarily by the head female of the household, largely ethnic sides accompanying the turkey, football on television, and family dysfunction in many different forms pervading the atmosphere of the gathering, the elephant or elephants in the room which most in the know don't want to be discussed on what is supposed to be this day of thanks. A single event at one of the dinners has a profound effect on all four gatherings.