[3] The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly, and Mark Ruffalo,[2] deals with the aftermath of a fatal car crash.

As part of the divorce agreement, Ruth has custody of their son Lucas while Dwight has visitation rights.

Dwight loses control of his vehicle and strikes a young boy, Josh Learner, standing by the roadside.

Meanwhile, Josh's mother, Grace, slowly begins to move on from the death of her son, but her husband Ethan is determined to find the perpetrator and bring them to justice.

When he picks up his daughter Emma from her piano lessons with Ruth, Dwight is forced to face his guilt and the reality of his situation.

He walks away from Dwight's house, understanding the struggles of life and the desperate measures people take in order to survive.

Dwight grabs the gun, pointing it at Ethan, then himself and begins to cry, saying how he wishes he had died instead of Josh.

The website's critics consensus reads, "While the performances are fine, Reservation Road quickly adopts an excessively maudlin tone along with highly improbable plot turns.