In the city of Rome, Jep Gambardella charms his way through a lavish lifestyle filled with extravagant parties and superficial luxuries. As a one-time novelist who found fame with his book "The Human Apparatus," Jep has since settled into a career as a jaded but well-regarded journalist. Amidst the decadence of the upper social echelon, he prides himself on being the king of the high life, navigating his evenings through swirling soirees and a parade of nuanced characters representing Rome's elite. Yet, Jep is confronted with the emptiness that underlies this facade of grandeur, feeling the pangs of a deep-seated malaise that accompanies his superficial successes.

With the arrival of his 65th birthday, Jep is prompted to examine his past and his present in pursuit of what he initially set out to find: the great beauty of life and its experiences. His reflections are triggered further by the news of an old love's passing, leading him to delve into introspection. As he wanders the stunning city, Jep engages in encounters with a variety of souls, from a magician who makes giraffes vanish to an enigmatic artist who purposefully headbutts his own paintings, each revealing different facets and ironies of life. This journey of enlightenment takes Jep through the sumptuous and the sacred, igniting a search for a more profound meaning amidst Rome’s dazzling veneer.