Oren Little (MICHAEL DOUGLAS) is, in short, a monster. There are a million reasons not to like the real estate agent. His neighbors, in particular, bear the brunt of his meanness, and the fact that he also owns the apartment building doesn't make things any easier. But one person has caught his eye: the attractive singer Leah (DIANE KEATON) next door. Rather clumsily and in his own peculiarly awkward way, he tries to win her over. Initially, however, with only moderate success. It's only when Oren unexpectedly has to look after his granddaughter Sarah (STERLING JERINS) that things change. Unsure how to care for a nine-year-old, he asks Leah for help. Just when he thinks he can cleverly shirk his responsibility, he's in for a rude awakening, because Leah stands up for herself! And suddenly it's clear: there's more to this than meets the eye!