Eep (Emma
Stone) is a girl in a family of cavemen living and hunting in pre-historic
times. Her family is one of the few to survive, mainly due to the strict rules
of her overprotective father, Grug (Nicolas Cave). In their cave home, Grug
tells a story to the family, which includes his wife Ugga (Catherine Keener),
his daughter Sandy, his son Thunk (Clark Dude), and his mother-in-law Gran
(Cloris Leachman ). He uses the story of a character who mirrors Eep's
curious nature to warn the family that exploration and 'new things' pose a
threat to their survival, and says to never not be afraid. This irritates the
bored and adventurous Eep, and after the family falls asleep, she leaves the
cave when she sees a light moving outside, against her father's advice.
Seeking
the light's source, she meets Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a clever and inventive
caveboy. She at first attacks him but then becomes fascinated with the fire he
creates and is eager to learn more. He tells her about his theory that the
world is reaching its 'end' and asks her to join him. She refuses and Guy
leaves, but not before giving her a noise-making shell to call him if she needs
help. Eep is then caught by Grug (who had been searching for her), and is later
grounded for what she had done. Grug brings Eep home and is joined by the rest
of the family. Eep tells them about Guy and shows them the shell given to her,
only for them to destroy it in fear of 'new things'. An earthquake then occurs,
sending everyone running for the cave, only to be stopped by Grug moments
before the cave is destroyed by falling rocks. They climb over the wreckage to
discover a land with lush vegetation, much different from their usual
surroundings of rocky terrain. Grug takes his family into the forest to find a
new cave.
The family
is chased by a "Macawnivore" (a large, macaw-colored
machairodont later called 'Chunky') and attacked by a swarm of
"Piranhakeets" (deadly red-furred, piranha-like birds). In panic, Eep
finds and sounds a horn similar to that which Guy gave her. Guy hears this and
rushes to her. Thinking quickly, he creates a torch of fire, which scares the
birds away. The other Croods are captivated by the fire, having never seen it
before. They steal Guy's torch and accidentally set the land around them in
flames. Some giant corn is also lit, which rockets up to the sky, prompting a
display of fireworks. After feeling impressed by Guy's intelligence and
'ideas', Grug bottles him in a hollow log to carry him in, then suggests that
they take solitude in the cave of a nearby mountain mentioned by Guy. Guy is
forcibly persuaded to lead the way and learns of the Croods' way of living,
which he thinks of as unusual.
After an
unsuccessful hunting attempt, Guy, his "pet" sloth Belt (Chris
Sanders), and Eep build a puppet to fool and lure nearby animals. After
they make a capture, the family greedily devours everything they caught. Grug
then tells another of his morale-lowering tales, this time mirroring the events
of their day. Guy then tells a story of his own about a paradise he nicknames
"Tomorrow".
The next
day, the family reaches a path coated in spiked rocks which Grug, Thunk, and
Gran get pricked upon trying to cross them. A freed Guy presents one of his
inventions called shoes. He makes some out of all the resources he can find for
each family member. This gains him some respect from the others except for
Grug, who feels jealous of Guy's cleverness. After Guy's ideas help the Croods
on their journey, the family members gain something. Ugga, Gran, and Sandy have
their first idea to get past carnivores plant by hiding under flower heads
as they pass, Thunk encounters and befriends a crocodile-like dog he calls
Douglas, and Eep and Guy grow closer while Grug is stranded in a ravine forcing
Ugga to go back for him. The next day, Grug shows the others some of his ideas
(like a see-saw, shades made out of wood, and a snapshot that involves the
family being slammed with a flat rock) which fail and humiliate him. They soon
reach the mountain where Grug is unable to convince the family that settling in
a nearby cave is a better option. Angry, he attacks Guy. The two become stuck
in tar and Guy reveals his family died drowning in it and their last words
inspired his traditions of "Tomorrow." Grug has a change of heart
towards Guy and he and Guy trick Chunky into freeing them by pretending to be a
female "Macawnivore" in trouble.
As they
are about to reach their destination, an earthquake opens a deep ravine in
their path. Grug throws each of them across the gap and reconciles with Eep
while creating the first hug with her. Grug then throws her across the ravine
and is left behind. He takes shelter in a cave and makes a torch. After seeing
a blank rock face, he paints a large cave-drawing of the Croods and Guy
together. He then encounters Chunky, who attacks him until Grug's torch is
accidentally blown out, panicking them both. The frightened Chunky lies near
Grug for comfort, who then has his first good idea. Using a large skeleton rib
and a bigger torch, Grug manages to lure the Piranhakeets into transporting
himself, Chunky, Douglas, and several other animals across the ravine, barely
escaping the oncoming "end" destruction.
Grug,
along with the rest of the family and the animals, settle down in a
paradise-like environment. Grug becomes less protective, letting the family be
more adventurous and risk-taking, thus bringing happiness to them all.
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