| Director | Ben Falcone |
|---|---|
| Budget | $29 million |
| Box office | $78.8 million |
In 1975 in Chicago, a young Michelle Darnell returns to the orphanage she was adopted from. She bounces between the orphanage and other homes within 5–10 years later until her sadness turns into rage and realises that she will succeed on her own.
In the present, Michelle is the CEO of three Fortune 500 companies, guru and best-selling author of self-help books and is the 47th wealthiest woman in the US. After a successful event at the United Center, Michelle and her nemesis/former lover Renault (originally named Ronald) face off about a recent stock deal Michelle made in which she had acquired the stock due to insider trading so is turned into the SEC by Renault as revenge.
Following a disastrous interview with Gayle King, Michelle is arrested for insider trading and sent to prison for five months. Her companies are taken over by Renault and all her assets are seized and frozen by the government. When released, Michelle finds her home foreclosed so seeks out her former assistant Claire, with whom she stays until she gets back on her feet.
After Michelle gets no help from former colleagues she subsequently insults, she is soon inspired by Claire's young daughter Rachel. She sells Dandelion Scout cookies, which the entrepreneur notices the profit the organisation makes a year. Michelle decides to start her own company, "Darnell's Darlings", by selling Claire's homemade brownies, bringing in Claire as a partner.
Recruiting girls from the Dandelions and other students, the Darlings are successful in selling brownies in competition with the Dandelions, which leads to a street fight between the two groups. Michelle, Rachel and Claire grow closer together, with Michelle inspiring Claire to quit her job and go on a date with her former fellow coworker Mike, while growing close to Rachel as the company grows.
Michelle, having brought in her former mentor Ida Marquette as an investor in the company, is spooked at a celebratory dinner when she receives a handmade gift from Rachel who declares the three as a family due to her own personal background of abandonment. Michelle, overwhelmed, distances herself from Rachel and Claire's lives. She begins making big business decisions without Claire's involvement and the two clash after Michelle mistakenly believes that Claire has sold out the company to Renault.
In return, Michelle sells the company to Renault. However, she soon returns to Rachel and Claire, feeling regretful, and apologises, revealing that during her childhood she was abandoned frequently. Michelle decides to work with Claire to get their company back by stealing the contract from Renault's office. Claire's now boyfriend Mike offers to assist.
While Mike distracts the doormen, the two women steal the contract, but are intercepted by Renault. He fights with Michelle, leading to the rooftop where she is seemingly pushed off the roof to her death (actually only falling to the level below). Claire also shoves Renault off. Michelle and Renault, having had a background of being romantically involved, make peace with one another.
A year later, the business achieves great success so Claire and Rachel use their money to purchase a new family home.