A hillside with an ocean view seems an ideal spot to spend a lonely Christmas Eve. When Jessica, a journalism major, and Beth, a high-profile politician, discover they both have the same idea, they exchange the sort of explosive little gifts that are usually left wrapped. Although barely acquainted, over the course of the day they discover that through their mutual relationship with Jeff, a Government Minister, their lives are intimately connected. This discovery and the substance of their connection leaves their shared past looking like a nightmare. When the shocks of the afternoon turn to violence in the evening, both Jessica and Beth have to decide how to go on in a world where politics and personalities have never been more intimate.