Jean-Paul Mantegna, the son of Italian immigrants now living in Nice, is a hunted man, riddled with debt and involved in borderline illegal companies. To extricate himself, he has to rely on Philippe and François, his two brothers, and on Raphaël, his father; a family torn by disputes and tragic events. However, by rebuilding family unity, Jean-Paul also discovers the secret of his own destiny...

Bernie, a 30 years old orphan, decides to leave his orphanage and find his parents. After an investigation, he meets Marion, a young heroin addict and falls in love with her. He believes that his family was victim of a plot and this is why they deserted him.

After years of estrangement due to difficulties accepting his brother's sexuality, a man diagnosed with a terminal illness decides to reconnect. As the brothers grow closer, their renewed bond starts to alienate their partners, leading to emotional turmoil and strained relationships.

Since his wife died, Inspector Louis Baroni (Philippe Noiret) has become a virtual recluse, preferring the solitude of his quiet house to the company of others. His period of mournful contemplation is broken when he is called out to look into the suspicious death of Madame Morlaix who, according to her husband Edouard (Michel Serrault), fell from an upstairs window. Curious to find out more, Baroni begins his inquiry.

In the working-class Paris suburb of Montreuil, Jimmy's restaurant, the Bombay Bar, is on the verge of being closed down by creditors. Jimmy is despondent -- the fact that his wife is about to have a baby isn't helping matters -- when he and his business partner Fifi find unlikely inspiration in the form of "Riches et Sympas," a TV show dedicated to the lives of the rich and famous. Figuring that getting the "right" people to frequent their business will ensure its reputation, Jimmy and Fifi persuade Jimmy's friend, the laid-back, unemployed Mike, to pose as a nobleman and lure his moneyed associates to the Bombay Bar. Mike agrees, and after crashing a posh charity ball, he finds himself being taken in by the likes of society fixture Arthus de Poulignac and Evrard, the latter of whom ensconces Mike in his private mansion. Unfortunately, Mike soon becomes a little too fond of his newly-acquired lifestyle, leaving Jimmy to wonder what to do with the monster he unwittingly created.

Pierre and Manon are poor. They make documentaries with nothing and they live by doing odd jobs. Pierre meets a young intern, Elisabeth, and she becomes his mistress. But Pierre will not leave Manon for Elisabeth; he wants to keep both.

A suburban pavilion, garden gnomes, a bloody scene. Break between Fred and Liza. As happiness never comes alone, Carole, emerges, announces to Liza that she is pregnant with Fred. Liza takes the kid in a wagon stolen from Fred.

Released from prison after two years, Michel Gérard sets out to find his wife Alice. Alice, luxuriously maintained by her lover, Jacques Rupert, editor-in-chief of a major newspaper, rejects him. Shortly afterwards, Rupert discovers Alice dead, murdered. Fearing charges, he asks one of his reporters, Barney Morgan, to direct suspicion to Michel. But Michel's lawyer shows Barney that the husband is innocent.

In this film that sends up the foibles of filmmaking, a standard crew of actors, stage-hands, director, writers, producers, and others are gathered for the filming of a 45-second automobile commercial. Each role embodies an archetype (the harried director who has a deadline to meet, the Scrooge production manager who has a budget to meet, and the writers who are above these mundane concerns), and these personalities drive the working actors over the edge until they decide to lock them up and do their own thing -- happiness can be just around the corner if you are in the driver's seat. Hopefully, the actors will be able to bow out before the police catch on to the situation.

André Loriot works for Dr Clairac in a laboratory producing euphoric pills. He searches in vain for an apartment where he can settle down and start a family with the woman who loves him, Juliette. To motivate himself and cope with the setbacks he encounters, he decides to swallow an excessive dose of euphoriants.