An elderly man, long stranded on a deserted island, dreams of a former love. He writes messages in bottles and sends them across the sea. One evening, a knock echoes through his solitary hut.
After the dashing Bavarian Lena Mayerhofer catches her future husband having a fling with her bridesmaid, she flees to Berlin to take over her Aunt Käthe's long-established bakery.
In 1933, a mischievous ten year old, Archie, is left in the care of his unattentive father, Charlie, a reluctant gangster indebted to mob boss Benny “The Bomb” Palladino.
A 13 year old girl is raped and murdered in a small country town. Ten years later, the murderer is up for parole and the victim's father has vowed personal vengence if the killer is released.