Susan Sarandon received an Academy Award nomination for her role as the mother of Lorenzo (Zack O'Malley Greenburg), a typical young child whose life is shattered when he's diagnosed with a terminal disease. His parents, Augusto (Nick Nolte) and Michaela (Sarandon), feel helpless as they watch their son slowly succumb to the illness. Not satisfied with modern medicine, they research the disease and turn to a controversial remedy for help.