The story revolves around a woman Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter). The only love of Ada’s life is her daughter Flora McGrath (Anna Paquin) and her piano. The story progresses as Ada moves to New Zealand with her daughter and piano for a arrange marriage with Stewart (Sam Neill). Soon she discovers that both her husband and her relationship with him is meaningless. The relationship she shared with him was not the kind she always desired. She suffers most when her husband sells her piano to George (Harvey Keitel). The only way to get back the piano is to teach piano to George along with some other added conditions. The movie further moves on with a new development of relationship between Ada and George.