May-Alice Culhane (Mary McDonnell) is a soap opera star who's left paralyzed after a car accident and, left with few other options, returns to her Louisiana home. Her heavy drinking and bad attitude drive away all of her caregivers. That is, until Chantelle (Alfre Woodard) comes to work for her. The two women form an unlikely friendship in this John Sayles film, which earned McDonnell an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.