A gravity-defying boy raised in seclusion matures into an extraordinary man -- and an international celebrity -- who longs for human connection.

Milan, Italy, 1967. Santo Russo, a boy of Calabrian origin, arrives north with his parents and younger brother to find better living conditions. Due to an absurd misunderstanding and his father's contempt, Santo ends up in prison, where he gets a “true education.” In 1978, he and his friends Slim and Mario embark on a 15-year criminal career, a successful and ruthless spiral of robberies, kidnappings, murders and heroin smuggling.

The destinies of two families are irrevocably tied together after a cyclist is hit off the road by a jeep in the night before Christmas Eve.

Bologna, 1976. The paths of two aimless young friends intertwine with those of Radio Alice, a pirate radio politically aligned with the leftist student movement.

After the 8th September 1943 north of Italy is occupied by Germans. Italian army collapsed and the soldiers are escaped to the mountains trying to set up a resistance. Many civilians did the same and Johnny, an English literature student, is among them. Johnny avoids to band together the red partisans (communists) and tries to be part of the azure bands (former regular soldiers). But in both cases he is deluded by the partisan bands and discovers that the partisan war is less poetic and genuine that he thought. At one point anyway the partisans free Alba from Germans. When the city falls again in German hands Johnny escape with Ettore and Pierre. But, one after another, German army and Italian fascists captures the partisans and Johnny will pass the winter alone and isolated. He then finds the way to participate to one of the last attack to occupants, in fact the war will be over two months later.

Maria, a provincial Polish girl, travels to Milan to pay her older sister Eva a surprise visit. The sisters haven't seen each other in seven years and Eva has changed a lot. She lives in a luxurious apartment and dresses in designer clothes. Although she pretends to be an interpreter, Eva is actually a call-girl and, one night, fails to return from an appointment. Maria enquires at the hotel where Eva last worked. Eva's body is soon found. The investigation is conducted by Inspector Messina, a trendy cop. Maria and Messina become an inseparable investigating team. Maria poses as a call-girl in order to reveal her sister's killer and they use mobile phones to keep in touch.

When young cop Andrea is assigned to keep watch over dangerous Godfather Sante, who's in hospital after a fake suicide attempt, the stage is set for disaster.