故事发生在如今的罗马，乍看这下， 已经年过半百的文森特还保留着法国口音，他的伴侣玛利亚比他年轻15岁，他们俩人看着和其他的情侣没有两样。当他们搭地铁的时候，他们会坐在一起，手挽着手，回家之后他们做爱，就像其他爱情故事开始一样，他们爱得如胶似漆。日子就这么一天一天过去了，他们几乎不招待客人，似乎也没有这个必要。但是细看下去，就会发现一个不和谐因素的存在，玛利亚非常脆弱，经常把她的不安表现出来。他们之间的问题变得越来越严重，他们的秘密生活面临着失控的危险。

Vincent was born near Paris, but has cut off every link with his roots. Maria, fifteen years younger, grew up in Ostia, but no longer sees her family. Together they form a couple that does not seem to need anyone. They lead a secluded life in contemporary Rome, indolent and distracted. Furthermore, Vincent and Maria are good at blending in with their environment. When they return home, they make love with the passion of young lovers in a suburban apartment that she has carefully furnished. Yet, on closer inspection, their everyday life betrays what lies behind their seemingly normal appearance: a project carried out by him with a clear determination and accepted by her only by virtue of unconditional love. A plan to help couples who cannot have children. Maria decides that it is time to create a real family. This choice has an inevitable consequence: the rebellion against Vincent, the man of her life.

Roma, oggi. A un primo sguardo Vincent, cinquantenne francese che delle sue origini ha mantenuto soltanto l’accento, e Maria, di una quindicina di anni più giovane, sembrano una coppia simile a tante altre. Quando prendono il metrò, si siedono vicini, abbracciati. Quando tornano a casa, fanno l’amore con passione, legati a doppio filo da un’attrazione reciproca che di solito caratterizza gli esordi di una storia d’amore, e non i rapporti consolidati come il loro. In una quotidianità vissuta prevalentemente al riparo delle mura di casa, anche la presenza di persone esterne sembra non soltanto superflua, ma persino evitata, come se entrambi bastassero all’altro e il resto del mondo non avesse importanza o, addirittura, non esistesse.