Detlev Quandt

Katlewski is in his early 20s and a miner from Recklinghausen. He no longer realizes his marriage to his wife and the prosperity they have achieved.

Atze, Lutz and Sulli have no work. Day after day, they idle away their time in a backyard. Atze has been fired from his job as a skilled worker at the hut, Lutz has just completed his apprenticeship and has not been taken on by his company, Sulli, who is Greek, is a foreigner and won't get an apprenticeship anyway. The neighbors are suspicious, their former colleagues mock them, doing nothing is boring and the three of them are fed up with it all. Atze, Lutz and Sulli steal a fully loaded furniture van and drive off. A short test drive turns into an adventure, an escape from reality, a piece of borrowed freedom. But those who run away are followed. The neighbors have always known about it, the police are on the lookout and the overzealous set out to catch the outsiders...