Evan Birch (Guy Pearce) is a family man and esteemed professor at a distinguished college, where his charm and reputation have made his philosophy class very popular. When a female student named Joyce goes missing, Evan's previous off-campus dalliances make his wife (Minnie Driver) question his alibi. Gruff police Detective Malloy (Pierce Brosnan) has even more reason to be suspicious when crucial evidence makes Evan the prime suspect in Joyce's disappearance. Suddenly, the questions Evan faces aren't merely academic – they're a matter of life or death.