Joe Peterson is a burned-out children's book writer who's on the brink of a mid-life crisis. With his career at a standstill and his relationship in shambles, he leaves town with his best friend to do the Polar Bear Plunge in the dead of winter in Northern Wisconsin. On his quest for inspiration, Joe encounters three generations of dysfunctional family that includes an obsessed law enforcement professional, a wise old fisherman and a muse with a pair of hockey skates. With the crew's help, Joe finds his lost passion, survives an assault by a tyrannical ex-girlfriend, and stays out of the way of the law. In the end, he gets the girl and publishes again but not before testing the icy waters of Lake Michigan on a snowy winter day.