After the assault and suicide of one of his ex-patients, award-winning child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is left determined to help a young boy named Cole, who suffers from the same diagnosis as the ex-patient - they both see dead people. Malcolm cannot rest until he makes amends for his feelings of failure, created by the mental breakdown of the first patient.

Cole is a young boy who is paralyzed by fear from his visions of dead people. His mother is at her wits end trying to cope with Cole's eccentricities. With the help of Dr. Crowe, Cole goes on a journey of self as he learns to overcome his fears, all the while discovering the purpose of his gift.