Cheung plays Emily Wang, a former video jockey, who has been in a tempestuous relationship with Lee Hauser (played by James Johnston (English musician) of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), a rock music musician, for several years. Lee's friends feel that Emily is bad for him, accusing her of being a Substance dependence. As the film opens, the pair have arrived in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to see Metric (band) perform. Their young son, Jay, is living in Vancouver with Lee's parents.