Cesare Settembre is a twenty-six year old studying law to follow in the footsteps of his lawyer father. On the eve of his last exam, Cesare falls ill with depression and begins to remain secluded at home, completely deprived of strength. The only person to try to help him is his friend Antonio, while his mother seems more concerned with taking care of the strange plant she keeps in her room, his father is only interested in his son's university career. To find a purpose in life, Cesare falls in love with Milena, Antonio's girlfriend, but in the meantime his family falls into chaos.