Since his mother's death 17 year-old Sam has been on a self-destructive spiral that could lead to his death. That is until he returns home from a leave weekend at boarding school to find his wheelchair-bound English grandmother Ruth (late 70's) has moved in. Ruth is an ex-war photographer with a lust for life and a love of the bottle. Sam soon finds himself profoundly confronted by her alcoholic wit and chutzpah. Their first meeting is awkward; their second violent. Things get worse when Sam finds himself stranded alone with Ruth and her nurse Sarah for the school holidays - a disruption that messes with Sam's plans to take his own life. A battle of wills ensues, one that Ruth eventually wins when she drinks Sam under the table. Sam puts his plans to die aside and starts to find inspiration and meaning in his grandmother's lust for life. However, no sooner has Ruth won Sam over, she has a request that pushes him back towards the edge of the abyss until eventually he finds the strength...