Mysterious and amoral, Jude Madigan (Jamie Lee Curtis) simply abandons her small children and husband (Peter Gallagher) one day. Confused by the initial action of Jude, the family is dumbfounded when she decides to return all of a sudden, three years later. Having thought her dead, the husband Robert decides to file for divorce and move on with his life. Though the oldest child (Luke Edwards) is not forgiving of his mother, Jude tries everything including bribes to re-establish herself with the children. Robert’s girlfriend (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) tries to offer support as does his mother (Vanessa Redgrave), but no one knows how dangerous Jude can be.