Augustine, movingly played by Soko, who works as a kitchen maid, suffers from seizures. At the psychiatric hospital to which she has been sent, Dr. Charcot, played by the excellent Vincent Lindon, notices the physical pleasure she gets from one of her seizures, which results in partial paralysis. The doctor is fascinated by the sexual connection. In the course of his fund-raising efforts for his work, he callously uses Augustine as his example before groups of doctors to demonstrate what happens to her under hypnosis.

The patient, kept in the dark about how the doctor intends to cure her, becomes enamored of the doctor and he, while attempting to keep his distance, cannot help but be intrigued and sexually aroused by her.

The film is impressive in the way it carries us along in its grasp, including by the various experimentations and results. A climactic ending, perhaps inevitable given the circumstances, is likely to arouse controversy and discussion, making the film especially provocative in terms of its doctor-patient relationship and ethical considerations.