Oregon, 1933. Samuel Murphy (Ethan Hawke), a veteran and widower, is separated from his daughter and sent to a labor camp. The prison warden, Clancy (Russell Crowe), offers him a chance at early release: he must take part in a dangerous gold-smuggling operation across more than a hundred miles of unforgiving wilderness.

As the journey turns into a fight for survival, Murphy is forced to confront a crucial question: how far is he willing to go to save what remains of his family and see his daughter again?