Zack and Miri are two lifelong platonic friends who make an adult film to pay the rent of their apartment. With their friend Delaney, the couple set out for auditionees for their porn film, but in the process of filming, they realize they feel more for each other than they had before.

Mark is a wannabe actor, penniless, clueless, and inept. He cares for a brother who's paraplegic, and he has a girlfriend, Sally, who wants out of the relationship. His idea of life is to go to the occasional audition, dodge his landlord (having spent the rent money Sally gave him), give Sally a hang-dog look, and talk with Pearce, who lives upstairs. Mark's flat is in disrepair: the kitchen window slams shut, bits of plaster fall from the ceiling, a bulb fizzes, and the sitting-room chandelier sways. When an awful accident happens, Mark freezes, which precipitates additional accidents; he finally calls Pearce, perhaps the worst decision possible. Will Mark come to his senses?

Umberto Ferrari, aged government-pensioner, attends a street demonstration held by his fellow pensioners. The police dispense the crowd and Unberto returns to his cheap furnished room which he shares with his dog Flick. Umberto's lone friend is Maria, servant of the boarding house. She is a simple girl who is pregnant by one of two soldiers and neither will admit to being the father. When Umberto's landlady, Antonia, demands the rent owed her and threatens eviction if she is not paid, Umberto tries desperately to raise the money by selling his books and watch. He is too proud to beg in the streets and can not get a loan from any of his acquaintances. He contracts a sore throat, is admitted to a hospital and this puts a delay on his financial difficulty. Discharged, he finds that his dog is gone and, following a frantic search, locates him in the city dog pound. His room has been...