Dives into the often ignored seedy underbelly of Maine and it follows Emma Maddox as she returns to her hometown years following the mysterious death of her brother, Mikey. As she reconnects with his best friend Tommy, the two rekindle their flame and Emma begins to uncover the web of lies the town has been keeping.

Precocious young Harriet (Evan Rachel Wood) lives with her much older sister, Gwen (Mary Stuart Masterson), at a New Hampshire motel owned by their mother (Cathy Moriarty), and dreams of a life beyond her neglectful family and stultifying town. When Ricky (Kevin Bacon), a mentally disabled man, stays at the motel, Harriet finds him to be kinder and more interesting than anyone she has ever known before. After tragedy strikes, Harriet and Ricky cling to each other ever more tightly.

A historical saga, it tells the story of six young men and women who, in 1914, are full of plans and dreams for the future. Cutting between life at home, Gallipoli and Egypt, this spectacular drama begins in a time of optimism and hope, on the eve of war.