The film's emotional depth is driven by its exceptional cast:

The Shape of Water takes place in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, during the Cold War era. The story revolves around Elisa Esposito (played by Sally Hawkins), a mute and isolated janitor who works at a government research facility. Elisa's life is mundane and lonely, until she discovers a secret amphibious creature (played by Doug Jones) being held captive at the facility. The creature, referred to as the "amphibian man," is a product of an experiment led by the ruthless and ambitious scientist, Richard Strickland (played by Michael Shannon).