Two years ago, David Lewis' (Peter Gallagher) wife, Gillian (Michelle Pfeiffer), fell from their sailboat and died, and since then he's been uninterested in other relationships. Rachel (Claire Danes), their daughter, has been suffering during this period, as David ignores her and goes walking on the nearby beach, where he communicates with Gillian's ghost. Gillian's sister, Esther (Kathy Baker), brings a friend to the house in hopes of sparking his interest, but that only leads to complications.
