Jeremy Irons stars as Nowak, a Polish builder in charge of three other builders. The team arrive in England to renovate the home of a rich fellow Pole, and during their stay the news breaks about Martial Law being declared in their homeland. As Nowak is the only one who understands English, the other labourers are left unaware of the development, and Nowak decides not to tell them as he thinks their work will be affected. This succeeds, but in so doing he finds himself under extra strain, leading to all manner of complications.