Martin Donovan plays John Abbott, a church investigator looking into a murder. The world is similar to England in the mid to late 1800s but with odd touches such as primitive computers etc. The sets are similar to Brazil, as is the look of a lot of the movie although much more reserved and somewhat more sinister. The movie revolves around a man, Abbott, who starts supremely self confident but eventually has to deal with his own failings and flaws.