No one saw it coming. The prizewinning war photographer Isabelle dies right at home in the US, of all places, in a car accident. The event opens yet another giant rift in her already scattered family. Isabelle’s widower Gene, who gave up acting to teach high school, cannot come to grips with his wife’s abrupt death. He has long since lost touch with his younger son Conrad, a solitary computer nerd. His older son, an ambitious university lecturer, hasn’t been home in years. But an upcoming exhibition in Isabelle’s honour brings the three estranged family members together again. Gene tries desperately to reconcile with his sons, but a dark family secret hardens the battle lines. In this family drama, which shifts freely between time periods and perspectives, Trier gives his star-studded cast a chance to truly shine.