Movie Story : Ben Singer is a washed-up children's folk singer who works as a proofreader, struggles as a weekend father, and has a deeply pessimistic outlook on life. His few sources of comfort are weekly chess matches and lively debates about game theory with his Senegalese roommate, Ibou. When Ibou suddenly falls seriously ill, Ben's bleak view of the world appears to be proven right. A visit from Ibou's sister, Khadi, eventually helps Ben see that his cynicism may depend entirely on how he looks at things.