This film dramatizes the friendship between the aging alcoholic jazz musician, Dale Turner (Dexter Gordon) and a young French jazz fan, Francis Borier (François Cluzet). The story was inspired by the real-life friendship between jazz pianist Bud Powell and Francis Paudras. Dale comes to Paris from New York to play saxophone in the Blue Note cafe. Although his performances are well-attended and well-received, and his friends strictly control his drinking, Dale sneaks away and goes on a binge. He is rescued and befriended by Francis, who, with patience and compassion, restores some of Dale's self-confidence and persuades him to stop drinking. Francis takes Dale into his small apartment where Francis, Dale and Francis' young daughter, Bérengère (Gabrielle Haker), live happily until Dale becomes homesick and decides to return to New York. Francis accompanies him, but is appalled by the drugs, violence and intensity of New York. He returns to Paris without Dale. Sometime later he learns of Dale's death.