Danny Donahue (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Sean William Scott) work for the Minotaur energy drink company. They tour Los Angeles-area schools to deliver Minotaur commercials disguised as anti-drug speeches. Danny hates his job and his bitterness has begun to affect his relationship with his girlfriend, Beth (Elizabeth Banks). Hoping to get his life back on track, Danny spontaneously proposes to her; not only does she turn him down, she breaks up with him. After a disastrous school appearance, Danny and Wheeler get into an altercation with a traffic cop and wind up crashing the Minotaur-themed SUV they use to travel to schools.
Beth, who is a lawyer, tells Danny and Wheeler they can either spend thirty days in jail or perform 150 hours of community service. The judge enrolls them in Sturdy Wings, which pairs adults with at-risk or socially maladjusted children. Sturdy Wings is run by Gayle Sweeny (Jane Lynch), an ex-drug addict who warns Danny and Wheeler that she won't accept any "b.s." from them. Danny is paired with Augie (Christoper Mintz-Plasse), a teenager deeply devoted to live-action fantasy role playing; Wheeler is paired with Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson), a foul-mouthed African American child who has driven away multiple partners before.
Although their initial encounters with the children don't go well, Danny and Wheeler soon begin to bond with their new friends. Wheeler and Ronnie discover a mutual love of large breasts and the band KISS. Danny reluctantly participates in Augie's live action role playing group, LAIRE. When, during a camping trip, Wheeler uses Danny's Ambien to try to have drugged-out sex with another counselor and winds up passed out naked in full view of the other children, Ronnie and Augie cover for their mentors. Soon, Danny and Wheeler have performed almost all of the 150 hours they are required to serve. Danny tries to reunite with Beth but she refuses.
Wheeler takes Ronnie to an adult party in Venice. While Ronnie plays video games, Wheeler has sex with a blonde he meets at the party. Feeling abandoned, Ronnie walks all the way home. When Augie manages to "kill" the arrogant King (Ken Jeong) during one of the role playing games, the King lies and says he killed Augie. When Danny angrily defends Augie, the King exiles them both, causing Augie to cry in front of everyone, including Esplen (Alexandra Stamler), who he has a crush on. Wanting to apologize to Augie, Danny goes to dinner at his house. Augie's mother, Lynette (Kerri Kenney), and her live-in boyfriend, Jim (Ken Marino) are glad Augie has been kicked out of LAIRE and thank Danny for helping that happen. Seeing how unhappy Augie, Danny criticizes Lynette's and Jim's parenting skills.
Gayle throws Wheeler and Danny out of Sturdy Hands, which means they will have to serve their thirty days in jail. Danny ends their friendship. Remorseful, Wheeler goes to Ronnie's house to ask permission to continue to be Ronnie's friend once he gets out of jail. Danny secretly meets with the King to negotiate Augie's readmission to LAIRE, then sneaks Augie out of his house so they can prepare for the Battle Royal that day. When Augie learns that the fantasy "nation" to which he belongs has kicked him out as well, Danny calls Wheeler to ask for his help. Both decide to work together to help Augie despite the fact that they will miss an important court appearance.
Dressed up as the members of KISS and riding in the Minotaur SUV, Danny, Augie, Ronnie and Wheeler arrive ready to fight in the Battle Royal as a new nation. Augie's parents, Ronnie's mom, Gayle and Beth also come to watch. At the end of the fight, Augie squares off against the King and kills him in front of everyone -- then loses the crown in a sneak attack by Esplen. Lynette and Jim congratulate Augie for his performance and recognize how happy he is when role-playing. Now confident, Augie speaks to Esplen, who asks him to be her co-regent. Danny sings "Beth" to Beth, winning back her heart. Gayle promises to intervene with the judge, with whom she has a sexual relationship, so that Wheeler and Danny don't have to go to jail.
Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott star in Role Models as Danny and Wheeler, two salesmen who trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn't look half bad. Once the center's ex-con director (Jane Lynch) gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges, Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson). And if they can just make it through probation without getting thrown in jail, the world's worst role models will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village idiot to raise a child.
