Samuel O'Shea (Gabriel Byrne), a university professor of poetry, exuberant womanizer and enthusiastic drinker has seen better days. His second marriage is ending, and his wife and children are at their wits' end with him. More disturbingly, he has begun seeing things: Frankenstein sidles up to the bar and strangers sing and dance to Leonard Cohen tunes. His much missed father, who died when Samuel was just a boy, pops up for chats.

At first Samuel thinks it could be the drink, or perhaps he’s just crazy or over-imaginative, but then learns he has a brain tumour. Reflecting on the life he has lived, Samuel retreats to his family shack in remote Ireland, where he begins work on that great novel he always meant to write, and generally take stock. Surprisingly, or not, he meets and falls in love with a local woman, who is full of unexpected ideas. All this leads Samuel to an utterly unforeseeable happy ending.