意外流产让满心期待宝宝降生的约翰（Peter Sarsgaard 饰）和凯特（Vera Farmiga 维拉•法米加 饰）深受打击，凯特精神几近崩溃，而他们的婚姻也岌岌可危。为了挽救濒临破败婚姻，这对夫妇前往孤儿院希望收养一个孩子。在这里，他们见到了有些特立独行的小女孩伊斯特（Isabelle Fuhrman 伊莎贝尔•福尔曼 饰）。小女孩所散发出的独特气质吸引了约翰夫妇，最终伊斯特成为他们家庭中的一员。 　　然而，随着伊斯特的到来，各种离奇事件接踵而至。凯特隐约感到，这个长着天使面容的小女孩背后有着不为人知的一面……Kate and John Coleman are rebuilding their troubled marriage after the loss of their baby. The couple decide to adopt a child. When they meet the nine-year-old Russian girl, Esther, at the St. Marina Orphanage, they immediately fall in love with the well-educated orphan. Their young son, Daniel, is hostile to his new sister; but their deaf mute daughter, Max, is enchanted with her - at first. Eventually, Kate begins to feel that Esther is manipulative and possibly even psychologically disturbed. John refuses to listen to his wife's misgivings. Kate calls Sister Abigail at the orphanage, and the nun informs her that Esther has a troubled and mysterious history. Kate delves further into Esther's past and discovers she is not what she claims to be.