An adventurous young girl named Coraline moves with her parents to an old house that has been divided into apartments. While her parents, busy with their work, tend not to pay much attention to her, Coraline discovers a hidden door with a bricked-up passage. Driven by curiosity and feeling neglected, she returns to the door at night and is amazed to find a parallel world on the other side, where everything seems better than in her own reality. In this other world, her other mother and father are attentive and caring, and her dreams seem to come to life. This seemingly perfect parallel universe entices Coraline, offering her an escape from her mundane life.

However, as Coraline spends more time in this magical realm, she starts to notice that not everything is as perfect as it appears. The other parents and the enchanting inhabitants of the parallel world have a disturbing edge to them, and Coraline begins to sense that the heightened attention she receives comes with hidden strings attached. As this alternative reality reveals its darker side, Coraline must gather her courage and resourcefulness to protect herself and find a way back to her true home, realizing that this fantastical world may be a trap designed to lure her into a sinister fate.