Frustrated housewife Gwen James feels like little more than a servant to her husband and two daughters. Devoting all her time to their needs, her sense of self-worth is in rapid decline. As she wrestles with dark, despairing thoughts, Gwen escapes into a world of glamorous fantasy and develops a new sense of purpose by enrolling in a university course, where she strikes up a special bond with her professor. But as she slowly reverts to a more youthful state, her family descends into chaos.