Despite being a straight A student, Zoe Tyler (Kellie Martin), a manic-depressive 17-year-old, constantly gets in trouble with her friends including Ann (Clea DuVall) due to angry outbursts caused by her refusal to take her medicine.

When the guy giving her a drive attempts to undress her, she screams and leaves the car, running back home where her mother Victoria (Karen Young) expresses her concern over her absence.

Nonetheless, she befriends Ally Winthrop (Lisa Jakub), a teenager who suffers from anorexia nervosa and constantly gets caught messing with her charts.

During her stay, Zoe meets the other patients, including the gay son of a military Luke (Jamie Kennedy), an extremely aggressive young man with family issues, Timothy 'Trader' (Vince Vieluf), and a teenager who still has imaginary friends, Sammy (Joshua Jackson).

Chief Barbico (Kevin Dunn) opposes to the romance, though Dr. Sharon (Olivia Birkelund) feels that two people filled with hatred opening up to each other could help them recover.

Whereas Ally is caught by the police, Zoe & Jake and Luke & Timothy split up after accidentally shooting a security guard who attempted to hold them.

People magazine wrote regarding the film: "Martin is convincing as an alarmingly mercurial personality, but this melodrama is less interested in characterization than in screaming matches, desperate clinches and breathless chases.