 The nurse Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson) decides to quit her job in a hospital and work for a family in the swamps of Terrebone Parish, Louisiana, one hour far from New Orleans. The family lawyer Luke (Peter Sarsgaard) hires her for US$ 1,000.00 per week to take care of Ben Devereaux (John Hurt), the beloved husband of Violet Devereaux (Gena Howlands), who had a stroke and is totally paralyzed. Violet gives a skeleton key of the huge house to Caroline, and the curious young woman finds a secret creepy hoodoo room in a scary attic that belonged to a couple of sorcerers that worked in the house. Caroline, who does not believe in magic, decides to learn about hoodoo, and believes Violet put an evil spell on Ben. She decides to help the invalid man, and asks for help to Luke.