Lynn (22) lives with her brother in Berlin. There she enjoys the advantages of family life, without really feeling involved in it. She does not have any precise aim in life, but manages to awaken the interest of many people with her direct and spontaneous character. Her boyfriend David is very different he is entirely engrossed in his very disciplined swimming training for the world championships. David does not intend to allow himself to be distracted by the complicating factors of a relationship with Lynn. When Lynn, working behind the till of restaurant, meets the Japanese student Koji, everything gets more complicated. They can't exchange many words, but it is soon clear that their moments together mean a lot to both of them.

影片讲的是，忠厚本分的年轻人皮特是个泥瓦匠，他十分孝顺父母，还亲自为他们造了一所房子。然而父母对他的态度似乎并没有因此而好转。之后，他遇上了心爱的女人艾瑞卡。他们一起搬到了慕尼黑，然而，生活的重压，金钱上的困窘却让皮特这个年轻人渐渐改变，最终沦为了阶下囚，而这一切只是为了让妻子爱他……　　该片被一些评论家认为是莱纳尔·沃纳尔·法斯宾德的最佳电影代表作。