Irene (Virna Lisi) presides over an Italian family rife with tension and secrets. Her daughter Sara (Margherita Buy) is a widow struggling with abandonment issues who constantly worries about the safety of her son. Her other daughter, Rita (Sandra Ceccarelli), feels trapped in her marriage and is considering an affair with another man. Her son Claudio (Luigi Lo Cascio) is gay, but hopes his family has not figured that out yet, even though he often brings his boyfriend to family gatherings.