17-year-old Malte experiences his dreary everyday life with his constantly drunk father in a dilapidated villa in the seaside resort Ahlbeck on the island Usedom in the Baltic. Finances are scarce. Until he comes of age in one week, Malte has only one wish: to take his driving test and clear out. To earn money he works in a fish stand and regularly smuggles cigarettes over the Polish border with his pal Pavel. Malte’s big passion is spraying graffiti. One day Pavel introduces him to sisters Annika and Lisa, arriving to vacation on the island.

Unexpectedly, Malte’s sister Hannah returns to Ahlbeck and the common house with her five-year-old son Lukas. Quickly, she finds a job and asks Malte to look after Lukas from time to time. When the family gets an order to leave the ramshackle villa, the situation tapers to a point. Malte packs his things without a moment of hesitation and moves to Pavel.

Nevertheless, little Lukas dogs Malte’s heels and demands attention which is entitled to him in his opinion. The boy has a penchant for deep-sea fishes, wants to know everything about and looks for them, even when Malte falls in love with Annika and wants to spend much time with her. In the end, Malte comes of age, nothing stayed as it was before. But now he knows why deep-sea fishes smile. (by Gerhard)