Birth

Sean is heard lecturing an unseen audience in New York City, professing disbelief in reincarnation. He then goes for a jog, collapses, and dies. The opening scene establishes a mystery that will haunt his wife Anna for years to come.

Ten years pass and Anna accepts a marriage proposal from Joseph, starting a new chapter in her life. The engagement signals a move on from Sean's death and the unresolved questions about reincarnation. This setup foreshadows the tension between memory and reality.

At Anna's engagement party, Clifford arrives as Sean's brother. Clara excuses herself and later buys a replacement gift, burying the original, while a young boy quietly watches. The scene hints at hidden motives and ties to the past.

During a party for Anna's mother, the boy sneaks into the apartment and asserts that he is Sean reincarnated. Anna is initially doubtful, but the claim unsettles her and drives the central mystery forward. The idea of reincarnation becomes a persistent thread.

Anna receives a letter from the boy warning her not to marry Joseph, reinforcing his belief that he is the returned husband. The letter gnaws at Anna, blurring lines between memory, faith, and fear. She begins to question what she truly knows about Sean and herself.

Joseph seeks more information and calls the building to verify details. Sean answers, and Joseph, with Sean's father, orders the boy to stay away from Anna. The confrontation heightens the stakes and risks tearing the couple apart.

Sean refuses to recant his story, asserting he is the reincarnated Sean. Anna watches as Sean collapses into his father's arms, a dramatic moment that underscores the fragility of his claim. The family grapples with whether the memory is real or illusion.

Sean leaves a message on Anna's answering machine, and her mother overhears. Anna hurries to Central Park to meet Sean at the very spot where her husband died, hoping to uncover the truth. The park meeting becomes a pivotal test of credibility.

Bob, Anna's brother-in-law and a doctor, interviews Sean and records his responses. Sean answers all questions, even revealing intimate details of Anna and Sean's sex life, and identifies associations between the dead man and parts of the apartment. The exchange deepens the mystery and divides the family on what is real.

Despite Sean's disclosures, the family remains doubtful, with Anna's sister Laura treating Sean with contempt. The lack of consensus strains Anna and tests the line between belief and love. The tension within the family reinforces the idea that truth may be subjective.

Anna's plan to test Sean leads Clara into the drama; she confronts Sean and reveals she and the dead man were lovers. Sean discovers Anna's love letters hidden in Clara's possession, showing the letters were meant as a rival gift. The revelation complicates loyalties and fuels doubt about the reincarnation claim.

Sean realizes that if he were truly reincarnated, he would have to love Clara, which he cannot do. He chooses to step away, unable to carry on with the deception. Anna and Joseph marry near a beach, and Anna, overwhelmed, wades into the ocean's edge while Joseph consoles her with quiet reassurance.