After the break-up of her marriage to Simon (Peter Capaldi), dentist Rachel Clifford (Julia Ormond) throws herself into work by taking an extra assignment at a local United Kingdom prison. One of her patients is Philip (Tim Roth), a man nearing the end of a ten year sentence for a crime he refuses to reveal. She later sees him on the street when he gets out to attend his college class. They form a friendship that eventually turns into a secret relationship. Their relationship becomes strained when Rachel realises Philip is serving time for the murder of his wife.