It's Ireland in the early 1950s. For Eilis Lacey, like many young Irish girls, opportunities are few and far between. When her sister arranges emigration to New York, Eilis realizes she must go. She leaves her family and home for the first time. In a crowded boarding house in Brooklyn, she's constantly reminded of her sacrifices. She's far from home and homesick. Just as she's tentatively taking steps toward friendship, and perhaps more, Eilis receives news that forces her back to Ireland. There, she faces a terrible dilemma: a devastating choice between duty and her true love.