 Ignacio (Arnulfo Reyes) and Marina (Montserrat de Leon), are a young Mexican couple at odds over what is best for their young son s future. Ignacio, who has been working most of the time in the United States, believes that more opportunities exist for them "en el otro lado" (on the other side). After Ignacio decides to join the U.S. Army in order to expedite the family s application for citizenship, Marina is faced with some heartrending decisions.