Danny (Daniel Day-Lewis Daniel Day Lewis) was once a hot-blooded revolutionary youth who was arrested for joining the IRA and spent 14 years in prison. Having finally survived a long period of unfreedom, Danny, who returned to society, decided to turn over a new leaf and be a low-key ordinary person. After getting out of prison, Danny returned to his old job as a boxing coach and trained a group of young people who loved the sport as much as he did. An accident reunites Danny with her former lover Maggie (Emily Watson Emily Watson), who is having a hard time raising her 14-year-old son Lynn alone. The spark of love in the old days revived between Danny and Maggie, however, the once dark past also filled Danny with hesitation and cowardice.