John (Seann William Scott) is introduced to his mom\'s new boyfriend, Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton).John Farley, author of a best-selling self-help book about letting go of the past, violates his own advice when he returns to his small hometown to receive the community\'s highest honor. While there, John learns, to his horror, that his widowed mother, Beverly, is engaged to be married to none other than Mr. Woodcock, the gym teacher whose sadistic exploits were the bane of John\'s youth.