American drama in which a boy observes both his mother and father's actions as their marriage begins to fail. Having been put out of work, Jerry Brinson (Jake Gyllenhaal) struggles mentally and begins to retreat from his family. Meanwhile, his wife, Jeanette (Carey Mulligan) begins to accept that her marriage may soon be over and looks elsewhere for affection and support for her and her son, Joe (Ed Oxenbould). While Joe sees from both sides the suffering his parents are enduring, he must manage his own inner turmoil and find a way to keep his family together.