Howard (James Cosmo) is a widowed sailor who lives by himself on the coast of Ireland. He has had a robust life of travel and adventure but his days now are constricted by loneliness and the debilitations of old age.

Catherine Walker as Grace

His daughter Grace (Catherine Walker) is a natural-born caregiver who checks in regularly on her oftentimes gruff father. The tension between them and the rest of their family is evident at his birthday party. Still, Grace has assumed responsibility for making sure he is doing okay, even when that causes strain in her own marriage. When the chores begin to add up, Grace hires Annie (Brid Brennan) to help around his house, cleaning and cooking. At first, he is upset by the changes she brings but he slowly warms to her presence.

Before long, Howard and Annie have fallen in love. Whereas their friends and Annie’s large family welcome this development, Grace is deeply upset by it and jealous. Her lovingkindness turns into an attempt to control her father by placing him in a home for the aged.

Writer and director Klaus Haro does a convincing job depicting the changing emotional dynamics in this family as they struggle with the impact of caregiving and care receiving.

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