Ex 2: Still Friends 2011

FABIO is shattered when his girlfriend Esther dumps him by text. Overwhelmed by heartbreak, he leans toward a desperate rooftop leap, only to be restrained by his coworkers. In the ensuing scuffle, a flowerpot is knocked loose and tumbles toward the street, narrowly missing the car that belongs to the lawyer Sandra. The morning then unfolds with a chaotic twist of fate: Sandra arrives at her office late for a meeting with Mrs. Marangoni, who is seeking a divorce after discovering her husband’s infidelity. Believing she has just suffered a fresh heartbreak herself, Sandra finds solidarity in a shared post-breakup moment with her client’s wife. Unknown to Sandra, the very husband under discussion is none other than Max, a detail that will ripple through the day’s events.

Across the city, a newly elected European Parliament member, Antonio, basks in the thrill of his fresh status. His wife, Nunzia, is quick to imagine easy money from the political spotlight and tries to secure a lucrative edge for herself, even offering a “favor” here and there as Antonio navigates the political world. Nunzia’s sharp wit and ambition set up a contrast to Antonio’s growing skepticism about the compromises of public life. Before long, two old friends surface with requests that threaten to pull Antonio in different directions, and he is reminded of the temptations and pitfalls that accompany a life in politics.

Meanwhile, newlyweds Floriana and Marco begin their honeymoon, boarding a retreat that will test the limits of romance and trust. Their trip takes an unexpected turn when Marco runs into his old flame, Consuelo, who is newly single and hoping for a clean slate. The spark between them flickers again as they exchange numbers, complicating the picture of fidelity for both couples.

Back at home, [Fabio] continues to chase a sense of purpose. A chance encounter with his ex-lover Esther on his first day at the gym jolts him, and he seeks counsel from the kindly psychiatrist on the floor below, Professor Rinaldi. The courtroom of life proves equally crowded: in a bar, Paolo tries his luck with Alessia, while Sandra visits a bar with a friend who is trying to play matchmaker. A rain-soaked street scene leads to a missed taxi and a shared ride to Lungotevere, where two strangers become a potential new connection.

Antonio’s flight to Brussels is diverted to Munich after an Icelandic volcanic eruption, and in a crowded restaurant he meets Olga, a Baltic visitor who shares a love of opera and a mutual reluctance to be defined by circumstance. The two strike a warm, unexpected chord, only to discover Olga’s married status complicating any romance. On another front, Sandra forgets her keys and ends up at Max’s place, where a tense, awkward stretch of the morning slowly gives way to warmth and a surprising chemistry. The two forge a connection, though neither realizes they are entangled in the lives of Sandra’s clients.

On the romance front, Floriana and Marco return to work after their honeymoon, where Floriana’s colleagues spark new conversations about trust and vulnerability. Consuelo, freshly returned from Paris, visits Marco’s workplace and confronts the reality that Marco is bound to Floriana by marriage, prompting him to leave a note that he hopes will convey his love and commitment. In a dramatic turn, Marco discovers Consuelo’s diary and learns that she often seeks financial security by changing partners, prompting him to reconsider his priorities and return home just in time to retrieve a note that seems to speak the truth of his emotions.

Back at the clinic, Valentina arrives in a storm of emotions—she has just been dumped by her boyfriend Guido by text, and Fabio plays the role of the trusted confidant he longs to be. The encounter blossoms into something more with Valentina finding in Fabio a confidant she trusts, even as she opens up about a nightlife of one-night stands. Their increasingly intertwined stories culminate in an emotional moment as Valentina decides to pursue a different kind of connection, a decision that reshapes Fabio’s own sense of purpose and complicates their professional boundaries.

As the narrative threads converge, the personal and public collide. Sandra faces a dramatic reveal when a detective exposes a link between her client’s marriage and her own. The case lands on the boss’s desk just as Max’s fate hangs in the balance, allowing him to walk away with a victory and Sandra to move on, plotting a future that may take her to new cities, including London.

Meanwhile, Antonio travels to Vilnius to see Olga again, only to be confronted with the reality of Olga’s obligations and the costs of political life. Olga’s world—her responsibilities and the sacrifices she has made for public service—confronts Antonio’s own sense of purpose, leading him to reevaluate his path. The couple’s weekend in Vilnius becomes a turning point that pushes Antonio toward a more personal, less political future.

As the days unfold, Floriana and Marco navigate the consequences of their choices, with Consuelo returning to complicate matters yet again. Paula, a friend from the bar, and other figures weave in and out of these stories, amplifying the sense that chance encounters can destabilize even the most carefully laid plans. In a final, quiet twist, Valentina and Fabio find a fragile balance, choosing to stand on the edge of risk together rather than drifting into old patterns.

A year later, the lives of these characters have shifted in unexpected ways. Valentina and Fabio are planning a shared vacation, and an unexpected reunion with Esther hints at a second chance for old flames, even as Guido reappears in Valentina’s thoughts. Floriana and Marco set off on a second honeymoon, while Consuelo reveals she, too, is embarking on a new chapter—married to Paolo and moving forward with her life.

In a climactic reunion at the airport, Max and Sandra cross paths again, their destinies drawing them toward a shared future, even as each contemplates the best way forward. Antonio has resigned from politics and embraced a quieter life with Olga by his side, while Olga continues to balance the demands of her career with her personal commitments. The film closes on a note of hopeful ambiguity, suggesting that love, luck, and the unpredictable alchemy of chance can shape lives in ways no one quite expects, and that the path forward can still be illuminated by humor, resilience, and a willingness to try again.