In this beautifully filmed movie about the end of the world, Justine and Michael are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister Claire, and brother-in-law John. A planet called Melancholia is heading directly towards Earth and threatening to collide. Meanwhile, tensions are mounting and relationships are fraying as the family deals with their fears.

David is a highly skilled in-home nurse who works with terminally ill patients. Intensely dedicated and extremely compassionate, David develops intimate relationships with each person he cares for. But outside of work, David suffers the effects of chronic depression, and he needs his patients as much as they need him.