Rome in the 1970s: The Borghetti family has just moved into one of the apartment complexes built on the outskirts of the city. But the chic flat cannot hide the fact that Clara (Penélope Cruz) is trapped in a loveless marriage. Her purpose in life lies in her relationship with her three children. She has a particularly close relationship with her daughter Adriana (Luana Giuliani). When she introduces herself as a boy in the new neighbourhood, the fragile family bond threatens to break.