Uptight ad man David Paymer is saddled with driving his kids to school in the carpool (Yank lingo for sharing lifts in the same neighbourhood) on the day of a major presentation.
A stuttering, ill-fated journey swerves way off course, however, when desperate carnival owner Tom Arnold knocks off a gourmet snack shop, after robbing the men who were robbing it, and flees using Paymer's kid-riddled spacewagon (His getaway car is stuck in the car park).
Arnold's a buffoon, but the kids love him; Paymer's a geek, but learns how to have fun, both hold the energy up well and their delivery of the few funny lines is sound. With the sickly sweet rent-a-kids support the jokes with the usual high-jinx.