Paul Dedalus (Mathieu Amalric), a 29-year-old academic trapped in prolonged adolescence, has spent ten years struggling to finish his doctoral thesis while entangled in an agonizingly stale relationship with his long-time girlfriend, Esther (Emmanuelle Devos). Overwhelmed by anxiety, indecision, and emotional cowardice, Paul embarks on a series of sexual encounters and emotional trysts with other women—including Valérie (Jeanne Balibar), the volatile girlfriend of his friend Nathan, and Patricia (Chiara Mastroianni). As his circle of intellectual friends navigates their own complicated romantic crises, Paul is forced to confront his inability to commit, love, or move forward in life.