德国摄影记者菲力浦过着流浪式的生活,有一次被派到美国完成一项采访,但他并没有完成任务。途中与一个神秘的美国女子邂逅之后,无意中成了她那九岁的小女孩的监护人。菲力浦必须带着小爱丽丝穿越德国、帮她寻找奶奶的过程中,互相有了意想不到的了解,故事回避单刀直入,发展充满惊喜,主题的显现极其优雅,让观众慢慢体会美国大众文化对战后欧洲的影响。German journalist Philip Winter has a case of writer's block when trying to write an article about the United States. He decides to return to Germany, and while trying to book a flight, encounters a German woman and her nine year old daughter Alice doing the same. The three become friends (almost out of necessity) and while the mother asks Winter to mind Alice temporarily, it quickly becomes apparent that Alice will be his responsibility for longer than he expected. After returning to Europe, the innocent friendship between Winter and Alice grows as they travel together through various European cities on a quest for Alice's grandmother.