Actress Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep) is vain and self centered. Years before, she had stolen her mousy friend’s fiancée, Dr. Ernest Menville (Bruce Willis), because he was a skilled plastic surgeon who could keep her looking young. Now that time has passed, Madeline is feeling her age. She and Ernest are very unhappy together. She is especially threatened when her old rival, Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn) shows up looking fantastic and out to get Ernest back. Madeline learns of a secret elixir that will keep you young forever. She takes it, but finds that she is immortal when she and Helen commence to fight for Ernest. Madeline finds out that immortality is not quite as great as she thought it would be when Helen starts to complicate things.