在这部家庭生活剧情片中,30歲的維特在西里西亞的建築設計公司工作，某日接到家裡的來信，敦促他回鄉探望生病的父親。維特的故鄉是在華沙附近的小城鎮，當他抵達時才知道父親只是藉口患病希望他回來承擔家庭責任。但維特討厭他們的生活方式，他的父親是個酒鬼，他的妹妹貝拉是個花癡，他的姑媽髒亂而揮霍，維特要到外地工作來滿足他們的花費。 雖然距前作《水晶的結構》只有兩年，但波蘭的政局已起了變化。華迪洛．哥穆爾卡已經下台，愛德華．蓋萊克成為共黨第一書記。蓋萊克提出努力提高生活水平的政策，但是未獲得波蘭人的信任。 影片主題是逃避。維特擺脫家人到另一個城市就業；母親早就逃到國外；父親酗酒；妹妹透過性行為。贊祿西不是一個悲觀主義者，他通過電影建議我們應該努力改善我們的生活和工作，而不是後退，或沉迷於不能實現的幻想。
A young engineer is called back home, which he had left years before. The house is a crumbling, old mansion in which his father still works, illegally distilling vodka, much of which he drinks himself. He is alcoholic and unhappy. His sister is cynical and disturbed, had attempted suicide. His aunt is tired and sour. Their purpose to bring him there is to play on his sympathies and eventually make stay, to make him work and take care of them. He refuses and returns back to the city.
