On the way back from maneuvers to the barracks, recruit Paul remains unnoticed at a rest stop. The company leaves and Paul goes home, to the bungalow of his absent parents. His "home leave" quickly becomes complicated: The Bundeswehr is looking for him, his girlfriend Kerstin breaks up with him, and unexpectedly his older brother Max shows up with his Danish girlfriend Lene. In the place of childhood, old role patterns reappear as if by reflex: Max feels responsible for Paul as an older brother. Paul avoids this and is only looking for a chance to get one over on his older brother. Lene stands in between, mediating and not without sympathy for Paul's rebelliousness. The brother conflict soon turns into competition for a woman.