George Monroe has had a lifelong ambition to achieve one of the great American Dreams: to build his own home, a refuge set on a cliff at the end of the sea. But it's a dream that George has put off again and again while he's sunk lower and lower--ending up divorced, overworked and estranged not only from friends and family, but from himself. Now George has hit rock bottom and there's nowhere to go... except out onto the edge. His neighbors despise his sagging, dilapidated shack. His teen-aged son would rather stare into space than raise a finger to help him. His ex-wife, who once shared his dream, is now emotionally distant from him. Local city officials want to sabotage his plans. It seems there is no one left with any faith in him. But George is determined to build this house--even if it means refurbishing his entire life. He begins the project alone, but soon attracts a disparate group of people. What begins as a way for George to redeem his own dreams turns into something much bigger....