In sepia tones, the film moves back and forth among three periods in Robert Tucker's life: he's an old man, near death, in a nursing home at Christmas time; he's in middle age caring for his cheerful but dying mother
Luisa has a habit of bringing her dates home, irritating her son, Cesar. When Cesar invites his best friend Pablo over for a sleepover, Luisa's flirtations become too much to bear, especially as Cesar has his own feelings towards Pablo.
In a dream Uncle Jack looks through a magic telescope owned by the ghost of a hermit and sees what life was like millions of years ago, including a battle between prehistoric monsters.