Muriel is beautiful, free-spirited and bed-ridden since a horrific accident. Leo is a drunk middle-aged ex-boxer. Desperate for work and unqualified, he interviews for Muriel, who hires him to cook and care for her against her better judgment. Initially out of his depth, Leo slowly wins Muriel's trust. As Muriel teaches him to read, he forces her to confront the joys beyond her window.
Désirée, a black girl, is nicknamed "The Shark" by her friends. This nickname comes from her strong rebellion and her ability to win in the suburban city, dominated by the power of boys.
There were four friends. Now there are only three – one of them has just died in Sicily in a stupid road accident. Fifteen years earlier, Tomas, a young French filmmaker, had made the group the subject of a documentary. He had become their friend, their brother from Paris.
