Yi-jung is in her late twenties and still lives with her mother. Having raised her daughter alone, Su-kyung is now ready to start a new life with her fiancé and leave the past behind. Not so Yi-jung, who from an early age has all too often had to serve as an outlet for her irascible mother’s frustrations. The many years of disregard have left her with a crippling mixture of suppressed feelings towards her mother from whom she simply cannot break free. When an argument between the two escalates in a supermarket car park, Su-kyung hits her daughter with her car. Just an accident, the mother claims. Malicious intent, Yi-jung retorts. This rebellion marks the beginning of an arduous process for both women to cut the cord.
乔治(哈里·海登 Harry Hayden 饰)经营着一家小餐馆,一天,餐馆里来了两名不速之客,他们是杀手,来寻找每天都在此吃完饭的皮特(Michael Hale 饰)。巧合的是,偏偏今天皮特没有来参观,在杀手离开后,乔治连忙打电话给皮特通风报信,然而最终,皮特还是死于非命。皮特生前买过一份保险,受益人是一个名叫奎尼的女人。奎尼是餐馆的服务生,曾经在皮特陷入抑郁想要自杀之际救过他一命。紧接着,皮特曾经的好友塞姆(比尔·沃克 Bill Walker 饰)浮出了水面,他如今迎娶了皮特的初恋女友劳拉。塞姆告诉调查人员,皮特是一名退役拳击手,退役后加入了黑帮干一些违法乱纪的事情,而他所遭遇的一切不幸,都和一个名叫凯蒂(艾娃·加德纳 Ava Gardner 饰)的女人有着脱不清的干系。
刚光复的台湾依然动荡,渔妇李甘妹(陸小芬 饰)抱着刚出生不久的儿子阿吉(齊秦 饰),却再也见不到流失于大海的丈夫.她下定决心,即使再苦,她也要离开渔村,离开大海,不让儿子走上他父亲的旧途.一生辛酸的李甘妹,从青春到迟暮,一直活在希望中,活在被大海漂去的生活中.幾近二十年了,她依然守望大海,等待她的儿子有一天能够归航,向他的母亲招手./