Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) is basically a sad, lonely little girl. Her widowed father (Dan Aykroyd) ignores her. He is an undertaker, and Vada worries about her health and about death. She is also convinced that she killed her mother who died in childbirth having her. Avoided by the other girls, her only friend is Thomas Sennett (Macaulay Culkin), who others consider an unpopular nerd. During the summer of 1972 a much-needed guiding force for Vada’s life arrives in the form of funeral make-up artist Shelley Devoto (Jamie Lee Curtis). Enamored by her teacher, Mr. Bixler, she steals money from Shelley in order to attend a summer class he’s teaching. Things seem to be looking up for Vada until her life starts falling apart. Her father and Shelley start dating. Her only friend, Thomas, dies from an allergic reaction to bee stings. She learns that her beloved Mr. Bixler is engaged. She is grief-stricken by all these bad things happening in her life in such short succession.