Philippa (Cate Blanchett), a British teacher living in Turin, Italy, has seen many friends, including her husband, fall victim to drug overdoses. Philippa has repeatedly contacted the police with information about Turin's biggest drug dealer but, complicit in his dealings, they have completely ignored her. So Philippa decides to dole out her own form of justice - setting her off on a journey, aided unexpectedly by a young police officer (Giovanni Ribisi), that moves through retribution and redemption, innocence and crime, and hope and desire as she goes from a young widow to a fugitive on the run.