A man at a monastery realizes he is a woman.

Two cutting-edge scientists give 'birth' to a Neanderthal—the first to walk the earth for some 35,000 years—in order to attempt to answer these questions. Part 'normal' child, part science experiment, William’s 'parents' struggle with the best way to raise him. As William grows toward adulthood, he is educated in the human experiences of love and intimacy. But his primitive impulses begin to emerge the more he tries to conform to human expectations, leading to tragic consequences for him and his loved ones.

故事发生在2000年美国得克萨斯州的一个小镇上，迪（妮可儿·贝海尔 Nicole Beharie 饰）是一位非常坚强的单亲妈妈，在当地的一家小饭馆里做服务生，以养活自己年仅4岁的女儿。检察官加尔文（迈克尔·奥吉弗 Michael O'Keefe 饰）批准了一场规模十分浩大的毒品搜查行动，在某一个环节中，一名警员为了洗清自己身上的嫌疑，将运送毒品的莫须有的罪名加在了迪的头上，就这样，迪在毫不知情的情况下被捉拿归案并且遭到了起诉。
现在有两个选择摆在迪的面前，只要她老老实实的认罪，便可以获得自由，回到家中和女儿团聚。或者她也可以选择留在铁窗之后，为自己的清白展开旷日持久的抗争。