Rille is coming of age in a Swedish town; he's chubby, stoic, and deliberate. His younger brother Erik is small, impulsive. They're yin and yang. Their parents are separated, their father a well-meaning alcoholic whom they see on occasion. Rille takes pride in being the keeper of the ping-pong equipment at a youth center, where he's the best player; Erik hangs out with guys who tease Rille, spreading rumors about who his biological father might really be. Their mom, overweight and dependent on Rille, has a frequent visitor, Gunnar, a balding small businessman. Things come to a head when Rille overhears his mother and Gunnar talking and insists on knowing the truth.