Ryanisawomanizingstockbrokerwhoseunethicalbusinesspracticescosthimhisjobandhistrader'slicense.Unabletofindanotherjob,heisforcedtomoveinwithhisequallyself-involved(andcompletelyoblivious)girlfriend,Cindy,aninsensitiveadvicecolumnistonthecuspoflosingherownjobduetoherpooradviceandslowworkhabits.Findingthatthetruthbehindhismovinginhasnothingtodowithromance,Cindyrunsoffwithanotherman.RyandecidestostayintheapartmentandearnalivingbydoingCindy'sjob.RyanestablisheshimselfwithCindy'seditor,Page,asCindy'sgo-fer,collectingCindy'spaychecksandmailanddelivering"her"columns.InitiallyashopelesslyineptasCindyingivingadvice,henearlygetsthecolumncanceled.However,herapidlygrowsintothejobandthecombinationofforcedintrospection,researchandthegrowingknowledgethatheistouchingotherpeople'slivestransformshim.Thecolumnbecomesanamazingsuccess.RyanfindshisinitiallysuperficialattractiontoPagegrowingintolove,buthecannotrevealhisfeelingswhileheisadeceptivefraud.Meanwhile,Cindybecomesawareof"her"growingfame,andreturnstocashin,atthesametimethattheownerofarivalnewspaperchainattemptstoforcePagetosell"Cindy's"columntohim.