Jude Madigan (Curtis) suddenly leaves her husband, Robert (Gallagher) and three sons without any explanation. Three years later, when Robert finally files for divorce, Jude returns and tries to reclaim her former life. Robert refuses and insists on the divorce. Jude does not accept Robert's decision. She tries unsuccessfully to seduce him and harasses Robert's new girlfriend, Callie. Eventually, Jude manipulates and convinces her eldest son, Kes, that Callie is the only person standing in the way of their reunited family. Influenced by Jude, Kes details a plan to his two brothers to scare off Callis, convincing the younger boys that it is just a "game". As the boys debate the plan, Jude's mother, Lydia (Redgrave) overhears and confronts Kes and threatens to tell their father. Kes tries unsuccessfully to convince his grandmother that it was just a "game" and tries to stop her from calling his dad, a brief struggle ensues and Lydia accidentally falls down the stairs. While in the hospital, Lydia tells Jude she is not about to let her go through with her plans. In a fit of rage, Jude tries to murder her mother by asphyxiation but is interrupted by a nurse, Jude flees the hospital. Meanwhile, the boys, under the guise of playing the game, handcuffs Callie and puts her on "trial" for destroying their family. They tie her to a chair but when the youngest boy cuts himself on a broken glass, Callie convinces the middle child to free her before his brother dies. She runs with the boy in an attempt to find a hospital. The other boys get in Callie's car and chases them, but the brakes have been cut by Jude and they go over a cliff, leaving them perched precariously on a tree on the side of the cliff. Callie manages to rescue the middle son, but as she tries to rescue Kes, she slips and is left dangling from the car. Jude rushes to "help" by grabbing Callie's hand from Kes. Jude intentionally lets go of Callie's hand, who still manages to hang onto the car with her other hand. However, Jude loses her balance and falls to her death. The film ends with Robert's emotional embrace of Kes, who is very shaken after having a nightmare of Jude coming back from the dead. Callie is right by Robert's side, comforting them both.