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A titan of industry is sent to prison after she's caught insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America's latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.

The story follows Michelle Darnell, a titan of industry who is sent to prison for insider trading, denounced by her former lover, Renault, who still holds a heavy grudge towards her for their breakup, after getting a promotion a few years ago. After doing her time, Michelle emerges, ready to re-brand herself as America's latest sweetheart, but not everyone she steamrolled is not so quick to forgive and forget. With nowhere to go and no one to scam, Michelle is forced to move in with former assistant Claire and her young daughter, Rachel. Now at her lowest point, Michelle wastes no time in devising a winner-take-all plan to rebuild her empire..

Michelle Darnell is the wealthy (she the forty-eighth richest woman in the US), successful, narcissistic, brash, and over-the-top businesswoman of her self-branded empire based in Manhattan. She is a manifestation of her upbringing, she, an orphan, having been rejected by a series of parents who did adopt her but ended up sending her back to the Catholic orphanage. Her life changes abruptly when turned in to the authorities by cutthroat business rival Renault (whose real name is Ronald, he changing it to sound more important) for insider trading, he a serious boyfriend twenty-five years ago before either became rich and successful. Upon her release from prison, Michelle, now bankrupt with no where to go and no one to turn to with her most recent associates having burnt their bridges in their true dislike for her, ends up turning to who was her hard working but unappreciated assistant, single mom Claire Rawlings, taking Michelle into her tiny Brooklyn apartment only on the urging of her empathetic ten year old daughter, Rachel Rawlings. With none of those former associates even wanting to speak to her, Michelle has to find a way to get back on her feet to the style to which she is accustomed. She believes she's found a way through both Rachel and Claire, who have to decide if Michelle is worth the risk, her business plan which does have at its core girl empowerment which she herself learned the hard way. Michelle herself may be the biggest obstacle in well hidden insecurities coming to the surface.—Huggo

Michelle Darnell (Melissa McCarthy) was a rejected orphan as a child. In 1975 in Chicago, a young Michelle Darnell returns to the orphanage she was adopted from. Over the next few attempts as well she is returned by every family who adopts her. She bounces between the orphanage and her adoptive homes within 5-10 years later until her sadness turns into rage and realizes that she will succeed on her own.

Michelle grows up to be the CEO of 3 Fortune 500 companies, guru and best-selling author of self-help books, and the 47th richest woman in the world. Michelle says that the secret to her success is hard work, not allowing anyone to pull her down, and cutting off the anchors in one's life.

Claire Rawlings (Kristen Bell) is Michelle's PA & does all sorts of odd jobs for her. Michelle is giving a hard time to Claire over a well-earned raise. Claire has not had a pay raise in 3 years. Claire says that she practically runs Michelle's entire organization, is available 24*7 and despite being a single mother. Tito (Cedric Yarbrough) is Michelle's bodyguard, who constantly cheers along with Michelle. Tito and Michelle team up to make Claire's life miserable. Claire threatens to quit if Michelle does not agree to give her a raise. Michelle buckles and gives Claire a pair of earrings costing $62,000.

Michelle's business rival is Renault (Peter Dinklage). Michelle has blocked the acquisition that Renault was after, by buying the shares of his target company. Renault accuses her of insider trading. Renault also dated Michelle in the 90's when they worked for the same company. Michelle screwed over Renault to take a promotion that he deserved.

Ida Marquette (Kathy Bates) is considered to be Michelle's mentor, who hates her now. Renault reports Michelle's activities to the SEC as a form of revenge. Michelle has a disastrous interview with Gayle King, where the network plays a tape of Ida abusing Michelle endlessly. Michelle claims that she comes from an elite boarding school like Hogwarts, but the network had pictures of Michelle from her orphanage and knew that all the families who adopted her, sent her back.

Michelle is then arrested for insider trading and sent to prison for five months, while 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.

Claire is now working for Dana Dandridge (Cecily Strong), who is a micro manager & Claire hates her. Michelle reaches out to Claire at her apartment and says that she needs to meet as Claire is now the curator of Michelle's estate. Claire allows her to stay in her house when her daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson) insists. Even Tito is not picking up Michelle's call. Claire has a tiny apartment and allows Michelle to sleep in the sofa bed in her living room. Michelle finds the sofa bed very uncomfortable and sleeps with Claire in her bed without her permission. There is a single bathroom and Michelle hogs it all morning, making both Claire and Rachel late for work and school respectively. Despite the fact that Claire is doing her a favor, Michelle does not behave appropriately, and continues along with her diva lifestyle.

Renault has paid off all of Michelle's former supporters & employees, so that no one is willing to hire her again. As a result, Michelle is staying at Claire's for over 3 weeks. Claire asks Michelle to start helping around the house.

Michelle attends one of Rachel's Dandelions meetings & learns that Dandelions cookie company is using schoolgirls to sell their product, with the promise of putting it into social work, but not really doing anything for anyone. Michelle's proposal is to use her company to let young girls like Rachel earn money that they can put towards their college funds. She calls the venture Darnell's Darlings. They poach schoolgirls from the Dandelions to sell their cookies that Claire bakes.

The venture starts slow but gathers steam and starts making good money. Michelle asks Claire to trust her & come on board full-time to bake the cookies, bringing in Claire as a partner. Michele convinces Ida to back the new venture. 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 Mike, a coworker, while growing close to Rachel as the company grows.

Michelle 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.

Michele goes ahead & uses Ida's money to open a commercial kitchen to scale up production. She finds Claire talking to Renault & assumes the worst. Michelle 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. Claire and Michelle fight & Michelle walks away from the business.

In return, Michelle sells the company to Renault. Renault buys the business & evicts Claire and the girls out of the kitchen. Michelle soon returns to Rachel and Claire, feeling regretful, and apologizes, revealing her childhood when she was abandoned frequently. Michelle decides to help Claire get her company back by stealing the contract from Renault's office. Mike, now Claire's boyfriend, decides to assist.

Claire and Michelle enter Renault's private office & locate the contract, but are confronted by Renault, who takes up a samurai sword fight with Michelle. The fight leads to the rooftop where Michelle is seemingly pushed off the roof to her death (actually only falling to the level below). Claire also shoves Renault. Michelle and Renault, having had a background of being romantically involved, make peace with one another. Claire tears up the contract and 8 months later, Claire and Rachel move into a big house with the profits from the cookie business.