After the umpteenth physical 'outlier' by her husband, the successful writer Sara decides to persevere and leave her family. She is not thanked for this and instead of understanding, she reaps contempt and becomes isolated. She decides to literally distance herself and books a retreat on the idyllic Italian volcano island of Stromboli. Under the guidance of a world-renowned guru, she tries to find herself again in a colorful group of misfits. But what should have been a fresh start quickly ends in a descent into the deepest depths of her past.