The story takes place in a small town in the United States in the 1950s. Jess (Billy Crudup Billy Crudup) and Doug (Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Phoenix) are two brothers born in an ordinary family, who live a life of mutual dependence with their mother Helen (Kathy Becker Kathy Baker). The Albert family is a famous rich family in town, with three graceful sisters Palmer (Liv Taylor Liv Tyler), Elena (Jennifer Connery Jennifer Connelly) and Alice (Joana Gao Yin Joanna Going). Although in terms of status, the three sisters and the two brothers do not belong to the same class at all, the two families are still involved in complex love and hatred. The father of the three sisters was convinced that his daughters would marry the right man, so he was disgusted with their association with Jess and Doug.