Sao Paulo, winter of 1971, the country is under the military dictatorship. Theater director João Pedro divides his time between rehearsals of Peter Weiss's The Investigation, arguments with his ex-wife, horse racing bets, and doubts about clandestine political activity. In between rehearsals, João Pedro receives visits from a member of the Communist Party, who does not understand his aesthetic and political options, and is unhappy with how the director is conducting the rehearsals of the play, which is partially funded by the party. At the same time, his brother Getúlio and his girlfriend, Lilian - two young idealists - are led to collaborate with the political resistance when they are asked to give refuge to two men persecuted by the military regime. The only viable option is to hide them in Lilian's grandfather's house, a respectable retired military. The decision will lead each of them to reflect on the issue of political engagement and its implications on ordinary life.