故事发生在19世纪20年代的英国,玛丽(凯特·温丝莱特 Kate Winslet 饰)是一名古生物学家,然而,这个行当显然无法让她过上优渥的生活,所以玛丽至今仍然在贫困线上挣扎,为了给病重的母亲治病,玛丽靠着在沙滩上捡化石卖给游客来维生。 某日,一个名叫罗德里克(詹姆斯·麦卡德尔 James McArdle 饰)的男人找到了玛丽,开出了很高的薪酬,希望玛丽能够去照料他病重的妻子夏洛特(西尔莎·罗南 Saoirse Ronan 饰),经受不住金钱的诱惑,玛丽答应了。可是,就在玛丽刚刚见到夏洛特没多久,两人之间差异巨大的思想就碰撞出了火花,但随着时间的推移,她们都在彼此的身上看到了自己未曾经历过的世界。In 1840s England, acclaimed but overlooked fossil hunter Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) works alone on the rugged Southern coastline. With the days of her famed discoveries behind her, she now searches for common fossils to sell to tourists to support herself and her ailing mother. When a wealthy visitor entrusts Mary with the care of his wife Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan), she cannot afford to turn his offer down. Proud and relentlessly passionate about her work, Mary initially clashes with her unwelcome guest, but despite the distance between their social class and personalities, an intense bond begins to develop, compelling the two women to determine the true nature of their relationship.