An older government official rapes two 12-year-old girls in a hotel in a quiet Chinese resort town. The only witness who can corroborate the girls' story is Mia, a teenager working at the hotel. She is an illegal alien with no work permit, hence in dire circumstances herself.

The movie quickly focuses on two female protagonists: Mia and Wen – one of the assault victims. Wen depends on Mia's testimony to get justice, but both of them are essentially defenseless facing a corrupt system. Mia and Wen must fend for themselves the best they can as the faceless men play with their lives.

The story is told in a restraint manner. The violence and abuse of power are central themes in the movie, but they are never blatantly shown. The acts of abuse are rather portrayed through the close-up images of the effects they have on their female protagonists. This makes for an, in many ways more harrowing story of violence against women.