Plot
In 1958 California, 16-year-old girl "Blue" McDonald travels from town to town with her father, drug-addicted jazz musician "Ham" McDonald. One day, while passing through a small town, Blue meets Josh Winslow, a young man who flirts with her on his way to church.
Blue and her father drive to Sacramento, where Ham gets a job at a jazz club owned by Jules, an old acquaintance of Ham's. After a show, Ham uses all the money Jules pays him to buy heroin. While attempting to quit using, Ham goes through withdrawal pains. Blue finds Jules and tells him of what Ham is going through. Jules suggests Ham needs more heroin and offers to give her some in exchange for sex. Blue allows Jules to take her virginity. Blue then delivers the heroin to Ham, who gets angry after learning how she obtained it. He takes the heroin, enters his car and eventually dies in a crash.
Days after Ham's funeral, Elle, a madame who used to know Ham, approaches Blue and offers her a job as a prostitute. Believing she has no other option now that Ham is dead, Blue goes to the mansion outside the city where Elle operates a brothel where more than a dozen young women live and work. Elle forces Blue to strip naked in front of her and then coaches Blue in the art of seduction.
During her first days, Blue is befriended by Mona, who began prostituting herself at a young age and shows Blue how the work is done. Despite having a hard time containing her emotions with her first few clients, Blue learns how to remain calm while playing the role of seductress. "Sully" Sullivan, Elle's middle-aged driver, bodyguard and bouncer, notices Blue becoming accustomed to the profession and warns that she will soon become hooked on the lifestyle.
One day, Josh and his father, Colonel Winslow, show up at the brothel. Winslow has brought Josh to lose his virginity. Donning a black wig, Blue joins the group. Josh does not recognize Blue, who leads him into her room and seduces him. Despite not recognizing her, Josh cannot resist Blue, and they have sex.
Blue later partakes with other prostitutes in a bachelor party for wealthy client J.J. Clark. Irritated by J.J.'s arrogance, Blue strips in the middle of the party and taunts J.J. to do the same. Elle pulls Blue aside and warns her never to humiliate a client again or she will be physically harmed. Blue declares she cannot remain a prostitute, but Elle refuses to let her go.
Later, Senator Dixon, one of Blue's first clients, sends for her. Sully drives her to Dixon's hotel, where Blue is ambushed by the Senator, a bodyguard, and two other men with a film camera and lights. Despite her protests, the cameraman films as a hood is placed over Blue's head, and she is handcuffed to the bed. Sully interrupts the stag film in progress. Dixon draws a gun, but Sully overpowers him and escapes with Blue.
After learning that Blue wants to quit prostitution and start over, Sully gives her a bag with over $5,000 in cash that he stole from Dixon's hotel room. Blue asks Sully if he would like to run away with her and he agrees. Blue and Sully settle in the same small town where she first saw Josh. They move in together to a small house with Sully play-acting as Blue's father. Blue enrolls in a high school, makes new friends and begins dating Josh, who does not recognize her from the brothel.
Weeks later, Elle shows up at the school, pretending to be Blue's mother. Elle privately approaches Blue and reveals that as a result of Blue running away, Elle was forced to compensate Dixon the money that was stolen and also forced to use three of her girls to finish the stag film. Elle threatens Blue to return to Sacramento with her, but Blue calls her bluff.
The next evening, Blue goes to Josh's football game and consoles him when his team loses. Afterwards, Winslow beckons Josh, and Blue follows them to a building on campus where Elle awaits with a film projector. Winslow says he has bad news about Blue, and Elle screens the stag film. Josh recognizes Blue's face onscreen. Blue bursts in, yells at them to turn off the film, and asks who any of them are to judge her. Josh follows her out, but she evades him. Elle forces Blue into her car for the drive back to Sacramento, but Sully appears and drives them off the road. Sully pulls Blue out of the backseat and after an armed standoff, Elle decides to let him and Blue go.
Later, Blue is still living with Sully and attending high school. Josh approaches Blue on her way to school and admits he was disoriented when he discovered she had been a prostitute. However, Josh says he has always loved her, and they embrace.
