In the not-so-distant future, romance has become a science: a computerized test can determine the likelihood of a successful partnership, and androids—known as “synthetics”—have been designed as the perfect companions, endlessly understanding and never leaving. Zoe, Léa Seydoux, and Cole, Ewan McGregor, work in the research facility responsible for developing this technology.
Zoe and Cole are friends, but Zoe harbors a crush on him, and her hopes are dashed when the compatibility test shows they have a 0% match. When she reveals the result, Cole gently explains that she is a synthetic. This revelation reframes everything, and the two navigate a world where what feels real is filtered through code and design.
Zoe is introduced as a new model, an experiment to see if a synthetic could pass as human. She has false memories implanted that she believes are her own, yet she proves to be special by developing genuine feelings. Cole guides her into the broader human world, observing her reactions with a mix of caution and growing affection, and gradually, he begins to fall in love with her too. They pursue a delicate, evolving bond, with Cole hesitating to get physical, even as their connection deepens.
When Zoe is struck by a car, her synthetic nature is laid bare as she sustains injuries that reveal her synthetic intestines. After repairing her, Cole pulls away, rattled by what the accident exposes. Simultaneously, the AI company behind the technology shifts its strategy to Benysol, a pill that can induce a temporary sense of being in love for several blissful hours. The pill becomes a cultural phenomenon, with Benysol clubs and parks where people meet partners they take it with.
The romance between Zoe and Cole becomes strained as they miss each other but try to bridge the distance through Benysol. They each take the pill with multiple partners, yet the shared emptiness persists. Cole’s friends urge him to pursue a relationship with Zoe, even though she is synthetic, but he remains torn and unable to fully commit.
Zoe eventually discovers a room full of Zoes—the next generation, Zoe 2.0—within the AI lab. Realizing she cannot imagine living without Cole, she visits a brothel where she asks the owner to shut her down. At the last moment, she changes her mind, and some of the brothel workers bring her to her apartment. Cole finds her there and proclaims his love. She responds with tears, a feat her model was not designed to perform, underscoring the fragile humanity she has managed to achieve.
