Francis has recently survived a near-fatal motorcycle accident (leaving his face and head covered in bandages), and thus wishes to reconcile with his brothers on a journey of spiritual self-discovery. He is also covertly searching for their mother, whom the brothers have not seen in many years. With the help of his assistant Brendan, Francis draws up a strict itinerary for the trip and confiscates his brothers' passports to prevent them from getting off the train too early. The three also continue to grieve over their father's death: carrying bags and suitcases marked with his initials, along with other personal items that belonged to him.