The Face of Love

Nikki is a recent widow whose husband Garret died in a drowning accident. She remains haunted by memories of him, and everyday objects remind her of their life together. The weight of loss makes her feel resigned to life alone.

Nikki visits a local art gallery she and Garret once frequented, hoping to feel his presence in the familiar space. The gallery becomes a focal point for her search for connection rather than solace. It is the first step in her renewed emotional journey.

During a gallery visit, Nikki spots a man whose resemblance to her husband stuns her. The uncanny likeness unsettles her and stirs emotions she thought were buried. She feels a strange pull toward this stranger.

Nikki learns that the man is Tom, a professor at a small local college. The realization deepens the surreal nature of her memory-drenched search for Garret. She begins to see him more as a possible living link to the past.

Nikki visits Tom at his art class and is overwhelmed by the emotional proximity to Garret. She flees the classroom, trying to hide her feelings and the dramatic resemblance. The moment makes her fear the power of the past.

After collecting herself, Nikki asks Tom to tutor her in painting. He agrees, and their sessions begin as a practical collaboration rather than a romance. She keeps the resemblance to Garret from him.

Nikki and Tom become lovers, much to the distress of her neighbor Roger, who had hoped to win Nikki's affection after Garret's death. The relationship grows while both guard the true reason for their connection. Keeping the secret strains Nikki, Tom, and their surroundings.

Tom is divorced from his ex-wife for ten years and remains friends with her, but he never reveals that he suffers from a severe heart condition. He conceals his health from Nikki, adding danger to their fragile romance. The lie about his health looms over their growing bond.

Summer, Nikki's adult daughter, unexpectedly visits and finds Tom at the house. She is repulsed by his appearance and reacts with anger, complicating Nikki's attempt to maintain the relationship in secret. The confrontation foreshadows the fragility of Nikki's choices.

Nikki asks Tom to fly to Mexico with her, seeking escape and a chance to feel Garret's memory anew. At a resort, Tom discovers a photo of Nikki and Garret by the bar and realizes Nikki's uncanny motive for bringing him to the place of Garret's death. Tom confronts Nikki with the resemblance, and she panics.

Nikki runs into the surf, seemingly intent on self-destruction, and Tom chases after her. He rescues her from the dangerous waves, and they hold each other, aware their bond rests on a dangerous illusion. The moment seals their understanding that their relationship cannot endure.

A year passes and Summer finds a memorial invitation for Tom's art show, signaling Tom's death from his heart condition. Nikki learns that Tom left behind a prolific last year of work that captures his feelings and memories.

Nikki attends the memorial reception hosted by Tom's ex-wife and encounters Tom's artwork, including a painting titled The Face of Love. The piece is a haunting self-portrait showing Nikki with Tom, reflecting the fraught bond they shared.