Eight-year-old Sophie is the girl on the bus that everyone teases. Julien is the little boy that comes to her rescue. He, too, is an outcast of sorts, struggling to cope with the loss of his dying mother. Together, they invent an outrageous game of "Dare" to keep their spirits alive. Their game becomes a glorious mutual addiction. It binds them together as it tears them apart. As their feelings for each other grow through childhood into adulthood, each must decide if they are willing to finally acknowledge their love for each other. But can they ever stop playing the game.

Michael Haneke's futuristic vision follows a global cataclysm, Anne (Academy Award Nominee Isabelle Huppert) and her family set out for a safe haven at their holiday home. But, when they arrive, the home is already occupied by other survivors. Their hopes for safety are immediately dashed by a violent tragedy, which serves as a lesson to take nothing for granted and expect the worst in this new, harsh landscape. Accompanied by a fierce young boy (Hakim Taleb), the family eventually reaches a train station with the prospect of escaping.