An artist befriends the thief who stole her paintings. He becomes the subject of her new work, and even in separation, their relationship grows morphing from victim to thief to artist to muse, and more.

After a two year stint in a state home, the shy and neurotic Elling and his sex-obsessed best friend, Kjell, are released and forced to enter the real world. They find themselves in a state funded apartment in the center of Oslo, told to behave responsibly and act like normal members of society. In time, the two adjust and find oddball ways of coping with society.