The American Dream is about a young man who yearns for a home of his own. Shaped by the homelessness and hurts of his youth, Donny is anxious to get ahead and desperate to be loved. Contacts with wealthy people have aggravated his insecurities. He feels he must have an upscale home for his wife and children. Such a home seems within reach. Just as he puts in a bid, the real estate/mortgage market collapses. The consequences are devastating but ultimately healing for him. Through an unexpected reconciliation with his estranged father, Donny finds his true home.