Esikhathini esinzima kwabesifazane abaningi, le filimu yethulwa ukuthi ngandlela thile ifuna ukusikhombisa ukuthi omama bezindlu babehlala kanjani eminyakeni engamashumi amahlanu namashumi ayisithupha. I-protagonist U-Evelyn ryan (uJulianne Moore) kufanele abhekane nezikhathi ezinzima nomndeni wakhe omkhulu wezingane eziyishumi nomyeni odakiwe (Woody Harrelson) ukuwahambisa phambili. Futhi ukwenza ngendlela anikezwa ngayo kangcono "ngesipho samazwi." Ngalesi sikhathi, omama abangena emincintiswaneni ye-TV ukuwina imali, futhi u-Evelyn usebenzisa isipho sakhe ukusizakala.
Le filimu isuselwa kunoveli ebhalwe indodakazi ka-Evelyn uTerry Ryan ogama lakhe lingu "Umklomelo We-Defiance, e-Ohio" ukuze kukhunjulwe umama wakhe omkhulu, njengoba embiza kanjalo. Yashicilelwa ngo-2001 yize u-Evelyn Ryan ashone eneminyaka engama-85 ngo-1998. "Bengingacabangi ukuthi umuntu ongcono angadlala umama wami, nabafowethu nodadewethu bebengakwazi."