A seven-year-old girl grows silent and withdrawn following the trauma of her mother's death. Struggling to cope, her father hires an outspoken and worldly-wise black woman as a housekeeper, who strikes a chord with the child and helps her come out of her shell. Meanwhile, the nanny and her employer begin to feel affection for each other, despite the neighbours' racial slurs. Drama set in the 1950s, with Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Majorino and Ray Liotta.

When Manny Singer's wife dies, his young daughter Molly becomes mute and withdrawn. To help cope with looking after Molly, he hires sassy housekeeper Corrina Washington, who coaxes Molly out of her shell and shows father and daughter a whole new way of life. Manny and Corrina's friendship delights Molly and enrages the other townspeople.