Five maids in São Paulo are observed in this episodic, impressionistic film. The women interact with each other, ride busses, work, and have longings: Rai for a husband, Créo for her lost daughter, Roxane for a career in modeling. Quitéria is naive, a gull for thieves. Cida has a husband and also a lover. While each woman gets what she wishes for (more or less), it doesn't always make things better.

The story of a young black man, Héracles, who after being released from a juvenile institution, tries to apply for his first honest job as a motorcycle delivery boy. To get the job, he has to perform 12 hard tasks in São Paulo.

Felício, an old comedian, is in decadence after his partner Mandarim's suicide. When he finds out his former love Paloma has died, he leaves São Paulo and heads for the faraway State of Piauí, North of Brazil, in search of a new partner. He believes that if he manages to find him, the good times will return.