When uptight British writer Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) has difficulty with her new detective novel, her publisher, John Bosload (Charles Dance), sends her to his French country home to unwind. Once Sarah warms up to her new surroundings, her peace and quiet is interrupted by the arrival of Bosload's daughter, Julie (Ludivine Sagnier), a beautiful, uninhibited young woman. Though the two clash, they eventually form an unlikely bond -- one that is strained when things take a dramatic turn.