Ellie is raised to assume she would marry, have children, make a family, and be satisfied with that life. Things change in 1966 when she enters college the same year her older brother, Hank, the stabilizing force throughout her life, leaves for the battlefields of Vietnam. Bombarded by the anti-establishment and anti-war ethos, a confused Ellie seeks independence and direction in a world she doesn't understand. Her brother is the only person who can help her navigate her circumstances, but he's on the other side of the world fighting for his life.