Treppe aufwärts

Adam is a gambler. He spends his time in small gambling dens and slot machine casinos. However, he is no ordinary player. He manipulates machines with regard to their winnings and thus repays the mountain of debt that his once gambling-addicted father accumulated. His father Woyzeck, who now suffers from dementia, meanwhile ekes out a locked-up existence in their small, dilapidated family house on the outskirts of the prefabricated concrete tower blocks. A last symbol of prosperity that Adam desperately tries to maintain. During his forays, Adam has become close to Dosie (Dorota), a Ukrainian barwoman. Even though he can't open up to her, he is drawn to her again and again and experiences a small bit of hope in an everyday life characterized by monotony. However, this structure is shaken when, surprisingly, his sixteen-year-old son Ben turns up on his doorstep. Ben has broken off contact with his father and lives far away from the prefabricated tower blocks with his mother. Between reproaches and rapprochement problems, it becomes clear that Ben, who has been expelled from school, is actually just looking for a way to get away with some money in his pocket. His search for money and freedom ultimately drives him into the arms of paranoid loner Bardo. Ben's quick wit and hard-boiled nature impress Bardo, who eventually offers him a job as a courier. Bardo sells licenses to crack vending machines and uses Ben to collect the license fees. The deeper Ben delves into the game, the more he unravels his own family history. Adam, in turn, is shaken by feelings of guilt and tries to steer Ben back on the right path. Encouraged by Dosie, Adam tries to spend more time with Ben. He wants to give him the childhood he never had. Meanwhile, the situation between Adam, Woyzeck and Ben is becoming increasingly difficult. Adam's attempts to “play” father fail and push Ben further to Bardo, who shows him how to take ownership of the neighborhood and the addictions of its inhabitants. Adam no longer believes he can be a good father to Ben. Ben feels betrayed. But Adam has to learn to let go and also to fight for his own family, and sets out to do so.