Cadu, an honest lawyer from the countryside of São Paulo, is about to become a father for the second time. However, his life is completely transformed when he falls into a trap and the police find a ton of marijuana in his house. Outraged by the injustice, he begins to act like the head of a drug cartel, exactly what they accused him of, in front of the criminals and murderers in the prison.

A group of friends come of age during the political turmoil that plagued Brazil in the 1960's and 70's. Together, these musicians form a band called "Os Desafinados" and become a part of the groundbreaking Brazilian musical movement called Bossa Nova