Marie is a social worker in an immigrant dense suburb Outside her daily work she runs a youth center leads courses and functions as parole officer for young Belem who has served time in a correctional center She also takes care of Belems son Ray when Rays mother is at work Belems release from prison coincides with the appearance of an irritatingly nosy economist from the social services head quarters curious about Maries impressing but costly work As pressure mounts Maries true feelings rise to the surface and her methods and motives are questioned