Richard (Jeff Daniels) is a writer. As he reaches middle age, his physical strength gradually declines, and his desire to create has also died down. He has entered a bottleneck period of writing and does not know how to get out of his current predicament and get rid of this messy and failed life. At the suggestion of his wife Claire (Lisa Kudrow), Richard reluctantly came to Long Island to change his mood. Here, he hired 17-year-old Abby (Emma Stone) to take care of the chores at home. Abby is young, but because of her tragic past, she has sophistication and maturity that does not match her age. The old and the young have a sincere friendship with the help of the "Magic Colonel" (Ryan Reynolds) who only exists in Richard's fantasy. As time goes by, the two finally make a decision to dispel their fears and embrace a better future.