Set in 17th century Holland, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" tells the imagined, intriguing and highly seductive story behind one of Vermeer's greatest and most enigmatic paintings. Griet (Johansson), a tilemaker's daughter, is forced by tragedy to become a maid for the master painter (Firth). Fascinated by his craft, she soon shows an aptitude for helping in his studio, where she finds herself drawn to the man and his world of color and light. As she becomes part of his work, their growing intimacy spreads disruption and jealousy within his ordered household and beyond, fuelling a scandal which threatens to ruin them all.

Bob Harris (Murray) and Charlotte (Johansson) are two Americans in Tokyo. Bob is a movie star in town to shoot a whiskey commercial, while Charlotte is a young woman tagging along with her workaholic photographer husband (Ribisi). Unable to sleep, Bob and Charlotte cross paths one night in the luxury hotel bar. This chance meeting soon beomces a surprising friendship. Charlotte and Bob venture through Tokyo, having often hilarious encounters with its citizens, and ultimately discover a new belief in life's possibilities.