Ziggy Phelps & the Spiders from Mars is a coming-of-age story about self- imposed alienation told through the eyes of the protagonist, Ziggy Phelps. He is a 22-year-old dishwasher who, after losing out on a great opportunity thanks to a failed drug test, feels trapped at his dead-end job as a cafeteria dishwasher. The film is told over the span of one workday, in which Ziggy experiences highs and (mostly) lows, all pushing him further towards the conclusion that he no longer belongs there. In the end, he faces a harsh realization when he finally is forced to come to terms with the situation he's made for himself.