Samira, a resilient terminally ill cancer patient, spends her days at a hospice in New York City, accompanied by her beloved cat, Frodo. One fateful day, she reluctantly agrees to join an outing to Manhattan, led by Reuben, a dedicated care worker. However, their adventure takes a terrifying turn when they witness meteor-like objects crashing down to the city, followed by attacks from hostile extraterrestrial beings. Amid the ensuing mayhem, Sam loses consciousness.
Upon regaining her senses, Sam finds herself in a puppet theater, alongside Frodo and other survivors. The atmosphere is tense, and she is urged by fellow survivor Henri to remain quiet as military helicopters overhead announce the need for civilians to stay hidden until rescue operations are underway. In an attempt to calm a panicking survivor, Henri inadvertently causes his death, further heightening the horror around them.
As night falls, Sam watches in despair as Reuben is tragically killed by one of the creatures. Grasping Frodo tightly, she decides to escape to Harlem amidst military alerts about evacuation procedures from the southern part of the city. Unfortunately, as crowds of terrified people try to leave, they attract the creatures' attention, leading to chaos and a stampede. In the midst of the confusion, Sam becomes separated from Frodo.
It is then that she meets Eric, an English law student who has found Frodo. Sam tries to persuade him to head to the evacuation point, but Eric, still reeling from the panic, opts to accompany her back to her apartment in search of essential pain medication. Together, they bravely navigate their way through the chaos, and Eric succeeds in retrieving Sam's medication from a nearby pharmacy. As they journey together, Sam reminisces about her late father's jazz performances and shared pizza outings, revealing a longing for moments she wished to experience before her time runs out. Eric honors her wishes by taking her to a jazz club and fetching pizza from another spot, even entertaining her with a delightful magic card trick to lift her spirits.
However, their brief respite is shattered when they spot two boats nearby, loaded with passengers prepared for escape. As they attempt to leave, the creatures reappear, forcing Sam to take drastic actions to draw their attention. She smashes car windows to divert them, allowing Eric, carrying Frodo, to jump into the water and get rescued by Henri's boat. Before parting, she slips a note into Eric's jacket, urging him to care for Frodo and expressing her gratitude for reminding her to truly live.
In a poignant finale, sometime later, Sam strolls down an empty street, her iPod playing "Feeling Good." Embracing her fate with a serene smile, she lets the music fill her senses, just as a creature silently approaches from behind.
