Jack Linden (Mark Ruffalo) and Hank Evans (Peter Krause) are best friends who both teach at the same university in a small New England town. They both have young children and Jack's wife, Terry (Laura Dern) is close with Hank's wife, Edith (Naomi Watts). But while things appear happy on the surface, there are smouldering pockets of discontent underneath. Financial struggle and domestic boredom has drained the passion from Jack and Terry's marriage, while Hank's numerous infidelities and self-absorption has prompted Edith to find both comfort and sexual fulfilment with Jack. As Jack begins spending more and more time with Edith, it becomes obvious to Terry, whose anger culminates in a sexual encounter with Hank. Now that the deception has come full circle, both couples are left to decide the futures of their shattered unions...
桑迪(Catherine Zeta Jones 凯瑟琳•泽塔•琼斯 饰)是一位全职主妇,她每天细心照料着一儿一女,是丈夫的贤内助。然而,在为儿子寻找生日派对视频时,她无意中发现了丈夫偷情的证据,这残酷的现实让她崩溃。她义无反顾地离婚,并带孩子来到纽约,一边租房子,一边求职。在租房时,她遇到了一个年轻的房东弗兰克(杰克•切瑞 Jake Cherry 饰)。后者是在咖啡馆打工的伙计,也刚刚离婚,并面试成功某妇女中心的工作。在一次主动防御课上,两人再度邂逅,他是全副武装的陪练,而她则是受训的学员。当导师劝诱下,她进入了状态,把对丈夫满腔怒火发泄到他身上。在那一刻,他也突然理解了这个房客的苦衷,两人情感升温。在桑迪的力邀下,弗兰克成为了她孩子的保姆,两人也在接触中逐渐碰撞出了火花……