A highly conservative security guard called Walt Koontz (Robert DeNiro) suffers a debilitating stroke and is assigned to a rehabilitative program.
This therapy program includes music therapy through receiving singing lessons from a neighbour. However this neighbour, called Rusty Zimmerman (Philip Seymour Hoffman), is a pre-op transgender man, and completely opposed to what Walt believes in.
Both the men are equally as prejudiced towards each other, Walt against homosexuals, and Rusty against small minded and ignorant people. However they soon develop a relationship which transcends any they have ever had.