In a quiet London apartment building, a secret world of longing and whimsical deception unfolds. Shy, retired bachelor Mr. Hoppy, played by Dustin Hoffman, has nurtured a quiet love for his downstairs neighbor, the elegant Mrs. Silver (Judi Dench), for years. His chance finally arrives when she confides her deepest worry: her beloved pet tortoise, Alfie, is not growing. Desperate to win her affection, the smitten Mr. Hoppy concocts an elaborate and fantastical plan involving a mysterious, backwards incantation—"Esio Trot"—and a series of rapidly growing replacement tortoises. With the occasionally unhelpful assistance of a nosy neighbor (James Corden), Mr. Hoppy embarks on a delicate operation full of tender lies and comic close calls, all in the hope that his grand romantic gesture will finally make Mrs. Silver see the man who has adored her from afar. This charming and heartwarming drama, based on Roald Dahl's story, explores the lengths to which love will go, weaving a tale of late-life romance that is as ingenious as it is deeply felt.