1967, Milan, Italy. Santo Russo, a Calabrian boy, travels north with his parents and younger brother in search of better living conditions. Santo ends up in prison as a result of an absurd misunderstanding and his father's contempt, where he receives a "true education." In 1978, he and his friends Slim and Mario begin a 15-year criminal career that includes robberies, kidnappings, murders, and heroin smuggling.