Mr. Shi (Henry O), a retired widower from Beijing, comes to the United States to help his only daughter through a divorce. His intentions to save her marriage and help her reconstruct her life are in direct conflict with her desire to move on. When Mr. Shi persists, Yilan retreats.

Disappointed but not discouraged, Mr. Shi explores the small town and meets Madam, an elderly lady who fled the Iranian Revolution decades earlier. Neither Mr. Shi nor Madam speak English well, but by gesturing and talking in their own language, they develop a rare friendship, in which they find momentary haven from the world of lies they have woven to keep themselves hopeful.

The ongoing struggle between father and daughter leads to revelations that Mr. Shi has never been prepared to face and a confrontation that forces both to accept the other and to understand their choices.