Set in the 1980s, Penelope (Redgrave) is seen to be recovering from a heart attack. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn she is the daughter of Lawrence (Schell), an acclaimed painter. Her children attempt to convince her to sell her father's paintings and ease their financial burdens. As Penelope continues to recover she reflects on her life, as a disillusioned wife and briefly enthralled lover. She embarks on a trip to the Mediterranean where she encounters Antonia (Stumph), a woman in the grip of a passionate romance, something Penelope realises she briefly enjoyed.<ref name=var>[http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117936950.html?categoryid=32&cs=1 The Shell Seekers Review] Variety. 29 April 2008</ref>