A cul-de-sac in an oppressive suburb becomes a literal dead end for wife and mother Karen Christianson (Chelsea Field) when she is brutally murdered in her own home. In the wake of the event, Karen's teenage daughter Ellie (Julia Stiles) begins to exhibit bizarre behaviors as she slowly acquires her mother's demeanor and mannerisms. Meanwhile, Karen's husband, Ben (William R. Moses), nurtures a less-than-innocent interest in the family's sultry live-in nanny, Lena (Louise Myrback).