Brenda Martin (Julianne Moore), a single mom works at a day care at Armstrong housing project in Dempsy, New Jersey. Brenda lives in the small blue-collar town of Gannon, which is connected to Dempsy, but Gannon is considered the better of the two communities. After work, Brenda walks into the emergency room with blood all over her hands, and the Dempsy Police are called to the hospital. Police…