Pietro Paladini and his brother Carlo, a fashion designer, rescue two women from drowning.

After the funeral, Pietro falls into a state of Quiet Chaos, which is marked by spending a lot of time with his daughter Claudia.

The manager is absent from his work and spends his days waiting in the park, which is opposite the school of his daughter.

All the while, the widower stays very calm on the outside and is a focal point for his wife's sister Marta (Valeria Golino), his brother and co-workers who are affected by the merger of his group.

Stanley Kauffmann of The New Republic called Quiet Chaos "thoughtful and rich.