Chase (Mirren), a lifetime resident of Martha's Vineyard, married Richard (Bridges), and like the area, grew into the Upper-Middle-Class. Her distaste for artificiality leads her to a wild breakdown, and Richard dutifully tries to restore their family unit as best he knows how by hiring a 'Mother's Helper', Elizabeth (Sedgwick). Chase is broken, and wickedly caustic towards Elizabeth, until they discover each other's similarities. A strong relationship develops, affecting their personal and familial salvation, and destruction.