douglas plays attorney dan gallagher, who lives in manhattan with wife beth (played by archer) and their six-year-old daughter ellen (played by ellen hamilton latzen). he has a fling with 36-year-old alex forrest (played by close). alex has borderline personality disorder and self-harms. when dan ends the affair, she refuses to accept it and reacts with hatred against him and later tells him she is pregnant. despite him moving to bedford, new york, she stalks him and uses violence. dan then approaches the police for a restraining order against her, but the lieutenant claims that he cannot violate alex's rights without probable cause and must own up to his own adultery.