Sven Bertil, a pastor's son, accidentally is hit in the head by a church bell, resulting in a permanent concussion. He is admitted to a mental hospital,. Sven Bertil ends up in a conflict with his psychologist, his father and his father's new woman. He escapes from the institution and joins a group of gangsters. They exploit him for their criminal purposes..

Jim, a boy from Stockholm, arrives at a foster home in Luleå. He is placed in a special class that is putting on a musical under the guidance of an anarchistic and committed teacher. The class consists of young people who are more or less scarred by life and therefore considered incapable of participating in regular school education. For Jim and his classmates, working on the musical becomes a journey filled with conflict, but also a search for validation and self-confidence.