Dave Ming Chang (Eddie Murphy) is the ultimate fish out of water. Even though he's just arrived in New York, that doesn't explain his odd behavior or disjointed locomotion. The outside Dave is actually a spaceship, controlled by a crew of tiny aliens, and modeled after their captain[C1]. As the crew contends with a slew of physical challenges, such as eating, drinking and excreting, they begin to experience profound emotional changes as well.