Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson), a Chicago ad executive, and alpha male, who grew up with his Las Vegas showgirl mother, is a chauvinist. He is skilled at selling to men and seducing women, such as local coffee attendant Lola (Marisa Tomei). However, just as he thinks he’s headed for a promotion, his manager Dan (Alan Alda) informs him that he is hiring the talents of Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt) instead, to broaden the firm’s appeal to women.