Precocious 11-year-old Paloma (Garance LeGuillermic) befriends prickly, homely janitor Renée (Josiane Balasko) and bears witness to a most unlikely romance in director Mona Achache's adaptation of author Muriel Barbery's best-seller. A young girl prone to deep philosophizing, Paloma is acutely aware of life's disappointments. Her parents hardly acknowledge her existence, and unless things start to look up soon Paloma plans to simply commit suicide. Matronly Renée is the custodian in the building where Paloma lives with her parents. In her spare time, Renée likes nothing better than to curl up with a good book from her extensive personal library. The frumpy building superintendent has just relegated herself to a life alone when courteous Japanese businessman Kakuro (Togo Igawa) moves in and sees something in her that most people don't. But Paloma isn't like most people, and perhaps if the young cupid can find a way to get Renée and Kakuro together, she'll finally have enough evidence to conclude that life is well worth living, despite the daily struggles we must all endure.