A young man, the victim of a severe beating, has been hospitalized in Havana. The perpetrator appears to have been a transvestite. Mercedes, a nurse, convinces Frank, an ex-cop, to investigate the case. Taking place entirely over the course of one night (December 28th; the "Day of the Innocents"), the man's hospital room becomes crowded with family and some unexpected visitors, gradually revealing family secrets, hidden desires, and the finally uncovering what exactly happened to the young man.