In post-WWII France during the 1950s, 14-year-old Patrick Carrion (Nicolas Chatel) lives near an American military base in Orléans and becomes obsessed with American culture, rock 'n' roll, and jazz. He falls in love with his childhood friend Marie-José (Sarah Grappin), with whom he shares a close bond. However, when Marie-José takes a job on the base, she becomes captivated by the glamour of American life and attracts the attention of Will Caberra (James Gandolfini), a charismatic American GI. Marie-José enters into a physical and romantic affair with Will, breaking Patrick's heart and forcing him to confront the complex realities of adulthood, heartbreak, and cultural disillusionment.