British expatriate George (Colin Firth) lives comfortably in sunny California and teaches at one of the universities. He is a private man and keeps his relationship with Jim (Matthew Goode) unobtrusive in the days before gay openness. One day in his life becomes subject of a chronicle when he learns his lover has died in a car crash in the mid-west. He tells no one, and he continues with his normal routine of going to the gym, having dinner with an old friend named Charlotte (Julianne Moore), and teaching his class. He observes his students with a wistful nature and even becomes drawn to Kenny Potter (Nicholas Hoult) for an adventurous, but ill-fated fling.