Kathy Harrington (Laura Lazare) is a junior at Bristol State University. Kathy is also beautiful and pursuing a degree in journalism. She applies for and gets a job as a night clerk in a motel so she can get extra money and also gain some material for her writing. Through Kathy's wandering eyes, the viewers can explore the physical pleasures of those who check into the motel. At times even Kathy is tempted to succumb to a moment of heated passion but her strict upbringing will not let her respond. And so the stage is set for "Purely Physical", a film that captures people overpowered by the feeling of a sudden desire, an out-of-the-way motel and the pressure of time that makes these love sessions so intense.