The film moves between the present and the past. Daughter-in-law Chloe has been abandoned by her husband. In an effort to find some peace amidst her grief and disappointment, she travels to a summer cottage with her father-in-law, Pierre, and her two young daughters.

Pierre carries a secret that has haunted him for twenty years and deeply affected his life. He now attempts to offer Chloe a sense of hope by confiding in her the story of his own secret love for Mathilde. She was the "great love of his life," whom he cowardly abandoned in favor of an easier, more convenient path in life.

Through his story, Pierre hopes to instill hope in Chloe and help her believe in a new future. He shares his own mistakes so that she can gradually realize she has a choice—to leave "the old" behind and create her own way out of despair. To build a new, good life.

The film features convincing performances, beautiful cinematography, and is based on a novel by Anna Gavalda.