Lovelorn Bette (Jessica Lange) falls for an artist, Count Wenceslas Steinbach (Aden Young), but is enraged when the sculptor instead decides to pursue Bette's rival, Hortense Hulot (Kelly Macdonald). Hortense's good fortune cements Bette's hatred of the Hulots, her wealthy in-laws, so she decides to ruin the family. Bette persuades beautiful prostitute Jenny Cadine (Elisabeth Shue) to seduce Wenceslas in the hope it will harm Hortense, but the plan has unforeseen results.