La Dolce Vita is set in Rome, 1960, and revolves around the life of Marcello Mastroianni's character, Marcello Rubini, a journalist and aspiring writer. The film follows Marcello's daily life as he navigates the city's nightlife, attends high-society parties, and engages in philosophical discussions with his friends. Along the way, he becomes disillusioned with the empty, superficial lives of Rome's upper class and begins to question his own values and aspirations.