19-year-old friends Bin Bin and Ziao Ji live in the provincial Chinese city of Datong, disaffected and without jobs or ambition, they pass their days wandering around town on their motorbikes hanging out at the smoky pool hall, dreaming of girls and escape. Around them China is changing, television informs them of their nation's rapidly developing political and economic role in the world and the inexorable encroachment of globalisation.