欧内斯特(迈克尔·珊农 Michael Shannon 饰)同儿子杰罗姆(柯蒂·斯密特-麦菲 Kodi Smit-McPhee 饰)、女儿马莉(艾丽·范宁 Elle Fanning 饰)一起过着相依为命的生活,虽然经济拮据生活清苦,但一家人好歹紧紧的联结在一次,互相支撑着,鼓励着。 欧内斯特拿出了家里最后的一点点钱买了一头机器骡子,他和杰罗姆牵着骡子给在山上工作的矿工们运送口粮,以此获得报酬维持生计,可以这么说,这头破败不堪的骡子是全家人最后的希望了。费莱姆(尼古拉斯·霍尔特 Nicholas Hoult 饰)一直将欧内斯特一家人视作眼中钉肉中刺,只因为他们目前居住的那一片土地曾经属于自己的父亲。这一次,费莱姆将复仇的目标放到了落单的马莉的身上。
Written by Guillaume Renusson and Clément Peny, the story (which won the Audience Award for Best Screenplay for a First Feature Film at Angers’ European First Film Festival) revolves around Samuel who, in the aftermath of a recent tragedy, leaves to get away from it all in his chalet in the Italian Alps, a place of passage for migrants looking to cross the border between Italy and France. Samuel is nonplussed by the anger of those living in his village, who organise hunts in the mountains to track the migrants. One night, he comes across Chehreh who has fled her war-torn country for France. Faced with her distress, Samuel decides to help her make the crossing, telling himself it will only take a few hours.