Robert Blom

A small Swedish village, Högboträsk, is so peaceful that crime is nonexistent. The police spend their shifts drinking coffee, eating hot dogs and chasing down runaway cows. This is all well and good for the village's own police, but the police management board wants to discontinue the local police force for lack of crime.

Torun and Mikael have been married for a few years. When vacationing on the Danish coast, their young son Melker accidentally drowns. Torun initially blames her sister, who was supposed to supervise her children. Later she turns her anger and grief against her husband. Since none of them know what to do with their feelings, they start to drift apart.

A gang in a Volvo have staked out a flat; when its occupants leave to walk their dog, the six break into the place.