 Lukas Haas portays David, a withdrawn but apparent near genius, who fears being touched. Brittney Murphy plays Lisa, a young woman seemingly suffering from split personalities who speaks only in rhymes and withdraws from anyone who doesn t speak to her likewise. Meeting in the psychiatric ward, the two s eyes lock and an obvious attraction is indicated. First each must learn to approach each other in their own sphere. Enter Sidney Poitier as a caring psychologist who helps David to come to terms with his emotional failure to deal with his father s death at an early age. Debi Mazar also appears as Lisa s case worker.