故事发生在一座荒无人烟的小岛之上，为了逃离尘世的喧嚣，环保主义者杰克（丹尼尔·戴-刘易斯 Daniel Day Lewis 饰）带着女儿萝丝（卡米拉·贝勒 Camilla Belle 饰）生活居住在这里。一转眼，萝丝已经十六岁了，就在此时，杰克发现自己患上了重病，他开始为女儿的未来做打算了。
杰克找来了自己的前女友凯瑟琳（凯瑟琳·基纳 Catherine Keener 饰），她带着自己的两个儿子来到了岛上，开始了和萝丝的“同居生活”。然而，萝丝却将凯瑟琳的到来看做是一种背叛和挑战，陷入愤怒的情绪之中无法自拔。看到女儿的情绪濒临崩溃的边缘，杰克知道，作为一名父亲，他是时候要开始行动了。
美国东部，位于波士顿近郊的查尔斯城，俨然一个被法制遗忘的失乐园。城中爱尔兰裔的工薪阶层占有很大比例，区域贫困的生活条件和令人无法喘息的压力让人们铤而走险，银行抢劫案时有发生，一切都变得癫狂无望。某个早晨，美丽的银行经理人克莱尔·吉塞（丽贝卡·豪尔 Rebecca Hall 饰）遭遇一伙头戴骷髅面具的劫匪，而她更被劫持为人质。奇怪的是，克莱尔最终意外生还，似乎这个早晨的变故从未发生过一样。一天，她邂逅了高大英俊的男子道格·麦克雷（本·阿弗莱克 Ben Affleck 饰），奇妙的缘分就此展开，两人的命运也由此改变…… 本片根据库克·霍根（Chuck Hogan）的原著改编。
Novelist Joseph Shearing specialized in using real cases which took place in Victorian England, altering them for fictional purposes. MOSS ROSE in 1947 was the first film to be made from his novels, then in 1948 two of his works were adapted for the screen, this film and THE MARK OF CAIN. The movie stars Todd as a recently widowed missionary returning to her home in England from Jamaica. During the voyage, she meets Milland, a charming though dangerous rascal who is wanted by police in connection with some unsavory dealings. Milland contracts malaria while onboard the ship and Todd nurses him back to health. In London, Todd settles into her home, taking in boarders to make ends meet. Milland arrives, moves in, and proclaims his love for her. Todd is thrilled, but it seems rather obvious that Milland is only toying with her. Milland finds some letters written to her by her friend, Fitzgerald, in which Fitzgerald reveals some of her sexual indiscretions. Since Fitzgerald is now married to the wealthy Huntley, Milland believes he can use the letters to blackmail Fitzgerald. Todd's love for Milland is so great that she goes along with the plan. Huntley, however, learns of the scheme and also uncovers details of Milland's shady past. Fearing for her lover's safety, Todd poisons Huntley, then remains silent when Fitzgerald is arrested for the murder. Milland has by now genuinely fallen in love with Todd and the two make plans to leave England. Before they can depart, one of Milland's former lovers shows up and Todd, in a jealous rage, kills Milland, then turns herself into the police.
This is an intriguing film, although a little on the talky side. The performances are excellent throughout, with Milland shining as the cad, the type of role in which he excelled. Though he spent most of his time making films in the US, he occasionally returned to his native England for a production and this was his first British film since FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS in 1939. Director Allen was also an Englishman who chose to work in the US, this being his first directorial effort in his homeland. This was the fourth and last time Milland and Allen would work together, their pairing having begun in 1944 with the wonderfully eerie THE UNINVITED.
