When a Bosnian couple begins a new life in America, the young wife struggles for survival while her husband is lured away by dreams of easy money.
Escaping with only their lives, Rija and her husband Josef flee war-torn Sarajevo. With their young daughter, they arrive in America with dreams of a new life. Soon after, Josef drawn by the prospect of fast cash abandons his family, falling into a world of crime and violence.
On her own, Rija strives to keep the family together. Despite a leering boss and a job that keeps her working until midnight, their small household moves off welfare and Rija begins to pay their bills. Just as things improve, a sudden family crisis threatens this new-found security. When Josef reappears, Rija in need of his help, lets him back into her life.
For a time reconciliation seems possible but while Rija works toward stability, Josef's behavior goes from helpful to erratic. Often jobless, money still flows through his hands. His abrupt comings and goings and unknown sources of cash trouble her especially when she discovers hidden money and a gun. Josef is in over his head and following an arrest, he finds a way to avoid jail time. Using his multilingual skills, he agrees to become a police informant, infiltrating the local Russian mob and getting close to the local mob boss.
