Set in 1990s. Beijing musician Wang Qiming and his wife Guo just come to USA, but their dream is broken quickly. Wang is depressed for some time, switches to be a businessman and accumulates considerable wealth. Smart and beautiful lady Chun becomes his confidant, but his wife Guo moves to his competitor's company. When their daughter Ningning comes to USA, she can not accept the situation of her parents and consider Chun as enemy. She gradually starts to indulge herself in American way as rebellion to the parents. 生活，需要学习，也需要复习。局外人与经历者。。在国外重温《北京人在纽约》-- 我不是中国人，也不是美国人。细品《北京人在纽约》：阿春，活得如宝石般灿烂的女性。难忘那一年。它叫《北京人在纽约》，但它无关美国。其实这是个纪录片。其实并不是北京人在不在纽约的问题。看了四遍。喜欢这种味道。 1990年前后，移民美国成为许多国人的梦想，艺术家尤甚。 北京音乐家王起明（姜文）与妻子郭燕（严晓频）来到神往很久的美国不久，美好梦想即遭遇打击，几番挣扎终没做成艺术家的王起明消沉一段时间，成为商人，并在短短几年积累了可观财富。但陡然回头，他发现失、得实难计算：智慧与美貌并存的阿春（王姬）虽然成了他的红颜知己，郭燕却也跑去了他生意上的最大竞争对手David（Robert Daly）的身边。其后他的女儿宁宁（马晓晴）来到美国，完全无法理解他与郭燕的选择，更是将阿春视作仇敌，渐渐地，她开始以他与郭燕亦无法接受的美国式放纵来将他们报复。
