Based on a true story, the film stars Liu Ye as Liu Xing, a Chinese immigrant working on his doctorate in cosmology. In a foreign land for the first time, Liu Xing comes to rely on the help of...

Based on a true story, the film stars Liu Ye as Liu Xing, a Chinese immigrant working on his doctorate in cosmology. In a foreign land for the first time, Liu Xing comes to rely on the help of Joanna (played by Meryl Streep), a wealthy contributor to the university where Liu Xing is studying. His brilliant work in the field of dark matter immediately catches the attention of his adviser and mentor Dr. Reiser, played by Aidan Quinn. After a series of experiments prove his mentor wrong, Liu Xing falls out of favor with Reiser. Left with nothing, he searches for a meaningful life; instead he loses sight of his dream and control of his life.