In 1980, Dorothy Stratten lies dead as her husband rants to himself about the events that led up to this. Through a series of flashbacks which are interspersed by the murderer's rants, the story is told. Two years earlier, Stratten was working at a Dairy Queen in her hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia when she met Paul Snider, a brash small-time scam artist and pimp. Snider charms Stratten into letting him take her to her high school prom. He wins over Stratten with attention and flattery, getting her to pose nude for Polaroid photographs. There are red flags, however - he tries to run Dorothy's life, threatens any other man who comes near her, and pays a borderline inappropriate amount of attention to her preteen sister.