JackLinden(MarkRuffalo)andHankEvans(PeterKrause)arebestfriendswhobothteachatthesameuniversityinasmallNewEnglandtown.TheybothhaveyoungchildrenandJack'swife,Terry(LauraDern)isclosewithHank'swife,Edith(NaomiWatts).Butwhilethingsappearhappyonthesurface,therearesmoulderingpocketsofdiscontentunderneath.FinancialstruggleanddomesticboredomhasdrainedthepassionfromJackandTerry'smarriage,whileHank'snumerousinfidelitiesandself-absorptionhaspromptedEdithtofindbothcomfortandsexualfulfilmentwithJack.AsJackbeginsspendingmoreandmoretimewithEdith,itbecomesobvioustoTerry,whoseangerculminatesinasexualencounterwithHank.Nowthatthedeceptionhascomefullcircle,bothcouplesarelefttodecidethefuturesoftheirshatteredunions...
