Grocery delivery boy Oliver Whynacht and his brother Jackie make a brief journey back to their roots in Nova Scotia for their estranged father's funeral, anticipating a quick trip. However, the reading of the will brings an unexpected shock: Oliver inherits his father's entire estate, which includes a funeral home, leaving the family, especially his widow, and the embalmer Roberta Knickel, reeling with disbelief.
As Oliver adjusts to life in the funeral home, he learns from Henry, the handyman, that the business is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. This predicament arises due to the ruthless competition from Wayne Snarr's rival funeral establishment, which has been siphoning clients from the retirement home where Oliver's father had once thrived.
Overwhelmed by the weight of his newfound responsibilities, Oliver seeks comfort from Roberta Knickel. Their evening of escapade culminates in a reckless joyride in her pickup truck. Initially hesitant about driving under the influence, Oliver is persuaded by Roberta that it's a norm in their town, and they venture onto the secondary roads. Tragedy strikes when Oliver’s inebriated state leads to a horrific collision with a Swiss hiker, claiming his life.
In an astonishing act of loyalty, Roberta assists Oliver in concealing the accident, leveraging her positions as both embalmer and local coroner. They manipulate the scene, creating a façade of a genuine accident, thus marking Oliver’s first client. This dark turn sets a disturbing tone for their partnership.
As Oliver grapples with the duties of a funeral director, he finds himself intertwined in a sinister relationship with Roberta, who pushes him to eliminate their competition through a series of suspicious "accidents" that arouse the town's curiosity. The irony intensifies when it’s revealed that Roberta's father is the local sheriff, complicating their precarious situation even further.
While navigations of his new life unfold, Oliver begins to fall for Roberta, despite his growing discomfort and the subtle manipulations of his stepmother Luanne. Their relationship escalates when Roberta announces her pregnancy, prompting them to plan a wedding. However, their happiness is ephemeral as the bitter truth emerges that Roberta had a role in orchestrating Oliver's father's death, enticing him back to town with the allure of inheritance.
As the layers of treachery unravel, Oliver is compelled to confront the disturbing legacy he has inherited at the funeral home. With the reality of Roberta's seemingly innocent romance cast in a new light, it becomes apparent that her affection was a premeditated strategy to reclaim her family's rightful possession—the funeral home, an estate seized from her family.
Caught in Roberta's labyrinth of deception, Oliver's fate takes a perilous turn. Her transformation into a callous orchestrator of misfortune accelerates, culminating in a shocking climax where she coldly eliminates him, removing any threats to her ambitions and solidifying her control over the funeral home. The film concludes with Roberta standing victorious, resolute in her possession of the property as she prepares to restore her family's legacy.
