Stevie, fresh from prison in Scotland, finds a job on a London construction site. The working conditions are poor and most of the men are working under aliases, due to immigration status and to not conflict with their "signing on" for unemployment benefits. Some coworkers help Stevie secure housing, squatting in a council estate. Then Stevie meets Susan, from Ireland, who's struggling to be a professional singer.

Robert Carlyle
as Stevie

Emer McCourt
as Susan

George Moss
as Mo

Jimmy Coleman
as Shem

Ricky Tomlinson
as Larry

David Finch
as Kevin

Peter Mullan
as Jake

Richard Belgrave
as Kojo

Ade Sapara
as Fiaman

Derek Young
as Desmonde