After the shocking murders of her husband and son, Laura Bowman (Patricia Arquette) travels to Burma with her sister, Andy (Frances McDormand), to find peace. There she witnesses protests against the government and the military's violent response. When Burma enters into military lockdown, Laura loses her passport and is unable to leave the country. A professor (U Aung Ko) helps her, but this makes her a target of the government as she attempts to reach the border and cross into Thailand.