Set in the early 1930s, the story unfolds as Larita (Jessica Biel) meets John Whittaker (Ben Barnes) in the glamorous surroundings of Monaco. With her roots in Detroit, Larita is a spirited woman whose eclectic interests and defiant personality invite scrutiny from those around her. After a whirlwind romance, Larita marries John, who takes her to his family's grand estate near Flintham in Nottinghamshire. Here, she encounters his mother, Veronica Whittaker (Kristin Scott Thomas), a woman already predisposed to disapprove of her new daughter-in-law. This disapproval intensifies when Larita reveals that she speaks fluent French, much to Veronica and her husband Major Jim Whittaker's (played by Colin Firth) dismay.
As their life together unfolds in the mansion, Larita is introduced to John's quirky sisters, Hilda (portrayed by Kimberley Nixon) and Marion (played by Katherine Parkinson). Both sisters carry their mother's manipulative traits while struggling with their own personal issues. Hilda is desperate for companionship, despite her childlike demeanor and a peculiar obsession with morbid newspaper clippings. In contrast, Marion grapples with feelings of inadequacy and is still hung up on a past love. Their relationship with Larita quickly oscillates between affection and animosity, especially as she forms an unexpected friendship with Furber (played by Kris Marshall), the family butler, who possesses a quiet disdain for the bizarre dynamics of the Whittaker home.
A pivotal moment transpires when Larita accidentally causes the unfortunate demise of Poppy, the family's spoiled chihuahua. When the dog’s remains are discovered, the already tense atmosphere spirals into further disdain directed at Larita. In an attempt to fit into this peculiar household, she inadvertently commits social faux pas. A memorable instance occurs at a fundraiser where she teaches Hilda the Can-Can dance, leading to a mortifying scene when Hilda decides to dance without any underwear. Furthermore, Larita's artistic expression, such as hanging a rather frank painting of herself in the parlor, only serves to heighten the family's disapproval.
As the story progresses, Larita finds herself increasingly alienated from John, who seems more aligned with his mother's expectations and the oppressive traditions of rural English life. Larita's efforts to merge her American sensibilities—like celebrating Thanksgiving—are met with resistance. The family's entrenched customs and attitudes seem stifling to her, especially when she openly challenges the blood sports they enjoy, which she perceives as cruel.
Tensions reach a boiling point when Veronica and her hunting party unexpectedly catch Larita and John in a compromising position, accentuating Larita's isolation within the family. Feeling the weight of Veronica's constant disdain and the mind games from her sisters, Larita retreats to the safety of Jim's workshop, immersing herself in his old motorcycle, a project that symbolizes her need for independence.
The turning point comes when Hilda discovers sensitive information about Larita's past—a murder charge related to her first husband, who was terminally ill. Though acquitted, this revelation complicates Larita's already fragile relationship with John. During a disastrous Christmas party, while chaos reigns in the Whittaker household, Larita hides away in her room, revealing her deep sense of despair and alienation.
Ultimately, the strain proves too great, leading Larita to decide that she can no longer remain in this suffocating environment. Before departing, she has a heartfelt moment with Sarah, John's former girlfriend, where, showing her character's underlying kindness, she apologizes and gifts her wedding ring. In a final confrontation with Veronica and her sisters, Larita boldly asserts her need for freedom, proclaiming, > "I can't live in this house anymore... nothing can."
In a climactic scene, she expresses the depth of her feelings towards John and her past, dismantling a familial statue in an act of defiance before making her exit. Larita leaves the estate, thankful to Furber and the groundskeeper Jackson (played by Jim McManus), granting them funds as she embarks on a new and uncertain chapter of her life. The film concludes with Larita and Jim departing together, leaving the Whittaker mansion—a powerful symbol of their confinement—behind as they set off into the unknown, each seeking a sense of liberation.
