Accio (Elio Germano) and Manrico (Riccardo Scamarcio) are working-class siblings navigating life in Italy during the tumultuous 1960s. Accio, the impulsive younger brother, finds himself influenced by a market trader and eventually joins the Fascist party, taking pride in the nickname "Bully," which lends him an air of toughness. This alarming shift deeply concerns Manrico and their sister Violetta, especially when they overhear Accio engrossed in Benito Mussolini's speeches within the confines of his room. The sibling rivalry escalates with Manrico often resorting to physical torment, like submerging Accio's head in a barrel beneath the drainpipe of their dilapidated home.
The tension builds when Accio, in a fit of rebellion, runs away upon discovering their mother’s support for the Houses Party, believing they’ll provide the aid needed to rebuild their crumbling house.
As they mature, Accio and Manrico become increasingly active in their respective political movements—the Fascist party and the Communist movement—exemplified by scenes depicting factory occupations and the temporary takeover of the Rome conservatoire, where Violetta studies the cello. The film tackles political themes with surprising fairness; while the young fascists appear ridiculous with their fervent chants of "Duce! Duce!" and a growing propensity for violence, the communists reveal their own absurdities when they replace Schiller's final movement of Beethoven's choral symphony with a hymn celebrating historical figures like Mao Zedong, Vladimir Lenin, and Joseph Stalin.
Francesca, Manrico's girlfriend, unexpectedly forms a bond with Accio, who harbors secret feelings for her and doubts Manrico's reliability. Complicated emotions emerge as Accio becomes involved with the wife of his imprisoned fascist friend, enjoying luxuries like a car she purchases for him via an installment plan.
Eventually, a turning point arrives for Accio when he renounces the Fascist party, dramatically tearing up his membership card after witnessing party members vandalize his brother's car. His relationship with the older woman also crumbles as he admits his feelings for someone else, leaving her to ponder whether he is loved in return.
Contrastingly, Manrico descends deeper into the chaos of revolutionary violence. After a two-year absence, he reaches out to Accio, prompting him to meet in a café. During this reunion, Accio tries to call Francesca, who repeatedly hangs up. When they finally meet, Manrico spots Francesca’s unexpected arrival alongside police potentially tracking her. In a frantic escape attempt, he ultimately loses his life in a gunfight with the authorities.
The story concludes with Accio taking matters into his own hands, infiltrating a corrupt housing office to seize keys and records meant for the homeless. Distributing keys to desperate families in the dead of night symbolizes his newfound resolve. The film closes on a poignant note as Accio reunites with his family, now including his brother's young son, embodying both personal loss and a commitment to a brighter future.
