Take a Chance (2006 film)

Plot

Two young men in white shirts are riding the streets of Nacogdoches, Texas on bicycles when they are hit by an old, pickup truck. The old man (who used to be a doctor) driving takes the stunned young men home to his house where he will check to see if they are hurt. While they are in the house, the two sons — Elliot (Corbin Allred) and Eugene (Kirby Heyborne) Buddles — strike up a conversation with them. The two young men turn out to be selling pesticides. One of the men is from New Jersey, and the other — Nate Harris — is from Paradise Valley, Idaho. Nate from Idaho starts talking about his family and produces pictures. As soon as Elliot sees the photo of Natalie (Lara Everly) he decides that he must go to meet her.

In the morning, Elliot convinces Eugene to drive them to Idaho. When Eugene asks how far it is, Elliot tells him, "two or three hours, tops," knowing that it is much further.

When they get to Paradise Valley, they look up the Harris family in the local phone book. Elliot decides that they are going to pretend to be the exchange students from Eastern Europe that were coming this summer but had cancelled. Elliot and Eugene end up being called Gustav and Gayzah, respectively, brothers from Hungary. The family welcomes them in to their lives, but Natalie is away until Thursday.

Once, Natalie does come home, Elliot is even more struck with her than before. Natalie gets the two brothers involved with her friends, and Eugene falls for Cindy Rae Stoddard (RaeAnn Christensen). But Cindy is wants to date Paul Hamilton. Paul only asked Cindy out so that he could find a way to ask out Cindy's roommate, Pam (Carrie Stringfellow). So Paul arranges a double-date with the two roommates and his brother Doogie (Robert Swenson). But when Paul admits to Cindy his feelings for Pam, Cindy arranges to leave the restaurant with Doogie so that Paul and Pam can get to know each other. Paul and Pam don't hit it off, but Cindy is all out for Doogie.

While Elliot is spending time with Natalie, Eugene wants to date Cindy. So he convinces Pam to teach him how to become the type of person that Cindy would like. In a conversation with Elliot, Eugene admits that he has feelings for Pam. Elliot is thinking about telling Natalie who they really are. However, Pam overhears the wrong part of the conversation and thinks that Eugene doesn't like her.

Cindy manages to convince Doogie to take a large and valuable ring (a family heirloom) from a safety-deposit box. While he is taking the ring to Cindy, Paul comes by so Doogie throws the ring in the back of a parked pickup truck. The truck happens to be Eugene's which they drive off in before Paul can retrieve the ring. Doogie does find the truck again, after it is parked again, and drives off in it himself. Elliott and Eugene are able to follow the truck closely enough to hide close by while Paul is giving Cindy the ring. While Paul isn't looking, Cindy switches the ring with a fake.

Shortly thereafter, the police arrive, having been called by Cindy. Elliot and Eugene reveal themselves and explain that Cindy put the real ring in her purse. The police search her purse and find the real ring. Paul, Cindy, Elliot and Eugene are all taken into custody. They wait in the police station while things are sorted out.

The Harris family comes to the police station to retrieve Elliot and Eugene. Cindy, in custody, passes by and says, "It looks like I'm not the only on who's not what he appears to be." At this time, Elliot decides that they must reveal who they really are.

Elliot and Eugene remain in town until the trial is over. It turns out that Cindy works for the insurance company holding the policy on the ring. She had all of the details so she had a fake ring made. It didn't matter to her which brother she got to get the actual ring. She was planning on switching the ring, having it found out as a fake, the Hamilton brothers would be arrested for fraud and she would have the actual ring. Paul was convicted of stealing the ring (because his brother was the legal owner) and received a sentence of six months of probation. Cindy was convicted of receiving stolen property and received a sentence of two years in prison.

Elliot and Eugene each decide to find work so that they can stay in town. Natalie and Pam also decide to forgive the respective brothers and continue their relationships.

Religion in the film

At one point in the film, Natalie says that some study concluded that Paradise Valley was the most religious community in the United States. The family is religious, attends church during the film and calls fellow parishioners "Brother" and "Sister". Even though the production was made by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the family is definitely not of said religion.