Set against the glamorous yet gritty backdrop of 1950s Hollywood, this erotic homage to classic cinema follows Joe, a struggling, out-of-work writer desperate for a break. He seemingly finds his salvation when he takes a live-in script-editing job for Norman Desmond, a faded, temperamental adult star turned domineering director. What begins as a professional arrangement quickly descends into a dark and possessive dynamic as Norman's demands become increasingly intimate and controlling.