Charlie, a young art student from New York haunted by Joris-Karl Huysmans' A Rebours, is asked by his best friend Sebastian to move into his apartment as he deals with depression and public scorn following his wealthy financier father Dick's arrest on high-profile white-collarcriminal charges. Charlie's mother thinks this is a bad idea due to long-standing one-sided romantic feelings he has for Sebastian. On a night out with Sebastian and a wider group of friends Charlie meets and flirts with Lebanon-born bar-pianist Tim. The two have chemistry, but when Sebastian is refused service at the bar because of his father, the group abruptly leaves. On their way back to Sebastian's apartment they are chased by paparazzi. The events of the night worsen Sebastian's depression. Charlie and a couple of his friends attend a classical music concert and notice Tim is the pianist. After the show, Charlie and Tim spend the night together talking and share a kiss, beginning a relationship which leads Charlie to begin neglecting Sebastian. Tim soon professes love for Charlie, but sensing Charlie is holding back on account of his feelings for Sebastian, Tim breaks up with him. At a Halloween party Charlie is depressed at his break-up but makes a pass at Sebastian, who laughs it off. Later that night Sebastian has brought a guy home with them, which upsets Charlie who professes his feelings. They begin a threesome encounter at the date's suggestion, but Sebastian storms out and Charlie tells the guy to leave. Sebastian rejects Charlie, saying it would ruin their friendship. Charlie moves out and reunites with Tim. Tim is offered a dream job as pianist for the San Francisco Symphony, which would require a move he asks Charlie to also take. Sebastian visits his father in jail, and he tells him to continue his crimes which causes Sebastian to disown his father after an argument. His father hangs himself in his cell. Charlie struggles to break the news of his leaving New York to Sebastian at a tense dinner with their friends and Tim. The news causes Sebastian to stand on his apartment balcony prepared to jump. Charlie talks him down but Tim breaks up with him again, believing he'll always come second. Sebastian moves in with Charlie and his mother and begins to slowly recover. On the eve of Tim's departure for San Francisco Sebastian calls him and he and Charlie spend one more night and part on sad but good terms, admitting it's not their time despite their feelings for each other. Some time later Sebastian is preparing to leave New York for a fresh start, and the film ends with one more friends gathering as Sebastian and Charlie toast to their friendship with the rest of the group.
