In 19th-century London, young doctor Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy) is fed up with the archaic practices of Victorian medicine. After being fired from yet another hospital for his refusal to kowtow to the demands of his superiors, Granville finds himself working for a doctor who focuses on the treatment of "hysteria" in female patients. As Granville spends his days manually easing the stress and melancholy of his patients, he becomes intrigued by his boss' eldest daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a rabble-rousing feminist who shuns the expectations and limitations of Victorian culture. The two rebels build an alliance as they confront a society that is not eager to change, and along the way they encounter the possibility of love and the invention of the electro-mechanical vibrator.

Director Tanya Wexler's joyful, romantic third feature is the rare period film that manages to feel utterly alive and vital in the 21st century. Sharply written and wonderfully acted by a cast that also features Felicity Jones, Rupert Everett, and Jonathan Pryce, Wexler's film is a sexy, funny, and genuinely moving film that is sure to stimulate audiences.