Arthur is keeping vigil over his dying mother in the house where he grew up. One evening, a stranger knocks at the door; she is pregnant and looking for a place to stay for her future family. Moved by pity, Arthur lets her in for a short visit. Everything goes smoothly until the stranger finds herself alone in the room where the mother is spending her final hours. Ferris Wheels is a poetic and slightly foolish dramedy about family, memory, and swimming.