A provocative comedy about the difficulties of living a happy relationship. A shoe theft on the ICE forms the prelude to a kaleidoscope of relationships and dependencies between a wide variety of city dwellers.

The paths and fates of several frustrated and neurotic people intersect in a large German city. Following the "short cuts" pattern perfected by Robert Altman, this excellently cast ensemble film spins episodes around loosely linked characters who are united by their egotism, vanity, self-loathing and disgust with the world.