Jackie (Susan Sarandon) is a divorced mother of two. Isabel (Julia Roberts) is the career minded girlfriend of Jackie's ex-husband Luke (Ed Harris), forced into the role of unwelcome stepmother to their children. It is the universal dilemma of the 'non-traditional family', they all love the children but the complex interplay between parents, step-parents, step-children, ex-spouses and significant others is decidedly tricky. But when Jackie discovers she is ill, both women realise they must put aside their differences to find a common ground and celebrate life to the fullest, while they have the chance.