The mid-life crisis of a middle-aged, depressive college professor/author provides the center of this French character study. Abel Vichac has really let himself go. Though a successful writer, and supposedly working on a book about 'regret,' he is barely functioning. He can't sleep at night. During the day he is easily distracted, irresponsible and moody. He also ignores his patient live-in lover Aliette who has stuck by him for 10 years. As he mopes through another day, he gets into several awkward occasions. One of his students, Florence tells him off in a café. A young woman, Catherine hears this and afterward introduces herself as a fan. Later he decides to find her address and visit her apartment. There Abel meets Catherine's roommate Aurore and the former's jealous boyfriend Bruno for a tense scene. He is returning home when Abel encounters his brother's former lover Olga and this creates more awkwardness.

Abel Vichac, universitaire de renom, rencontre dans un café une étudiante, Aurore, qui prétend avoir fait un exposé sur son dernier livre. Quelques jours plus tard, il débarque chez elle. C’est le point de départ d’une série de quiproquos et de stratagèmes de séduction qui vont déboucher pour Vichac et sa femme Aliette sur une crise majeure.