Everyone in Taranaki (New Zealand) wants to know the secret behind the magical milk produced on Aphrodite's Farm. The family mystery has remained safe for four generations. However when patriarch Ralph Riley dies, the future of the farm is thrown into jeopardy. The timely arrival of young farm hand Friday will bring the family's destiny full circle...but things will get a whole lot worse before they get any better.

Grub, a young surfer, is caught in a conflict between his boss, former surf legend Claw, and his passion for Vanessa, a mysterious Maori woman tattooist. Driven by his desire to be tattooed and 'become a man', Grub ignores warnings that Vanessa could be 'Hine Nui Te Po', the Maori sea goddess and mythical 'Eater of Life'. Rebelling against Claw, he is drawn ever deeper into Vanessa's ambiguous world of pleasure and pain, fantasy and reality, until finally the young surfer must face death in order to understand life.