In Chicago, while traveling in a commuting train from the suburbs to downtown, the publicist Charles Schine (Clive Owen) meets the married executive Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston) and starts a conversation after an incident with him. Charles is married, has a worn out marriage with his wife Deanna Schine (Melissa George) and they have been saving money for years for their diabetic daughter that needs a transplantation of kidney associated to a new expensive experimental drug.

A couple of days later, Charles invites Lucinda for lunch, then for some drinks and finally they begin an affair and decide to go to a cheap hotel. The room is invaded by a thief, Laroche (Vincent Cassel), who robs the couple and rapes Lucinda. A few days later, Charles is blackmailed, but Lucinda is reluctant to go to the police since she does not want to lose the custody of her daughter. When Laroche menaces Charles' family, the executive tries to solve the problem and the situation gets completely out of control.