A youthful foreigner sits sketching the diners of an outdoor café in hopes of finding the women he met there years before in director José Luis Guerín's languid, sun-soaked tale of longing. It was a long time ago that the artist met a mysterious beauty named Sylvia, and the memory of the girl has lingered in his mind ever since. Perhaps if he can capture the movements of the patrons in this quaint European café he can recognize the woman he seeks. Then, at once, the artist believes he has found Sylvia. Setting out into the streets in pursuit of a fading memory, he vows that this time he won't let love slip through his fingers.
~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide