Max（Clive Owen）是贪恋肉欲之欢的男同性恋，德国纳粹对同性恋展开大规模的迫害之前，他一直过着随心所欲的生活，之后，他在同恋人Rudy逃亡时落入纳粹之手，为求自保，他隐瞒了自己的同性恋身份，并当着纳粹的面打死了Rudy。前往集中营的途中，Max 结识同道中人Horst（Lothaire Bluteau），对方力劝沉浸在悲痛中想报复的他凡事冷静，不久，两人被命令一起不停地搬运石头，慢慢地，他俩生出“柏拉图”恋情，因为身体微小的碰触也是禁忌。Horst染上流感，Max不忍看到他在这种情况下继续忍受非人折磨，与纳粹军官进行性交易换来感冒药，Horst得知后，情愿一死也不愿看到爱人的尊严被继续无情践踏。

黄大凤（梁朝伟 饰）从小就跟着师傅在江湖上闯荡，他们做的不是其他，正是骗人的神棍。黄大凤涉足这一行日久，神棍常用的各种各样骗人把戏都烂熟于胸，长大后就开始自立门户了。黄大凤虽然从事的是骗人的勾当，但其实内心十分善良，并不是什么十足的吃人的骗子。在他自立门户后，收了一位徒弟吴智。吴智是那种阴毒奸诈的小人，在他学得了大凤的所有伎俩后，就一脚将他踢开，自立门户，气得大凤发誓要干一番大事业。一次偶然机会，大凤发现一名智障青年陈春（陈小春 饰）与文物达达大师的神像的样子一模一样，于是将他领回来，经过一番穿戴打扮，果然活脱脱的一个达达大师。经过大凤的一番宣传和吹嘘达达大师转世，前来膜拜的善男信女络绎不绝，陈春扮的达达大师可谓一鸣惊人。然而这时，吴智的阴谋开始了。

Byeong-tae (Yoon Mun-seob), a philosophy major at Y University, goes to a group blind date and meets Young-ja (Lee Young-ok), who studies French literature at H University. The young men and women of the 1970s, who have grown up under the influence of a rapid influx of Western culture, agonize over college issues, family conflicts, and their future paths in life. But such struggles are self-derisive, and they can see no tomorrow waiting for them. Between Byeong-tae and Young-ja, there is no promise of love, of any kind. They simply meet, and exchange meaningless conversation. Meanwhile, Yeong-cheol (Ha Jae-young), who always rides a bike and declares every time he drinks that he will set off in search of a whale, has feelings for another girl he met on the blind date, named Sun-ja (Kim Young-suk). But Sun-ja rejects Yeong-cheol, who stammers, has no prospects, and was even turned down for military duty due to health reasons, and he falls into despair. With nothing to look forward to, Byeong-tae and Yeong-cheol head to the sea. Yeong-cheol, who boasted that he would catch a beautiful whale in the East Sea, commits suicide, and Byeong-tae enlists with the military. Young-ja comes to see him off, even though she said she wouldn't see him any more, and the two of them kiss through the open window of the train that will carry Byeong-tae away.

繁盛的中环街道上，突然一声爆炸巨响，押款车一亿美元新钞被天养生（吴京饰）等一帮劫匪于路上公然劫走。多名无辜人员死伤，其中一人为警员陈晋（谢霆锋饰）的未婚妻子。陈晋自此立誓追捕天养生以报仇雪恨，可天养生与一亿美元却不见踪迹。半年后，见习督察方奕威（余文乐饰）带领警员截查车辆时遇袭，队员全体重伤，原来天养生一伙重新出现。高级警司章文耀（林嘉华饰）和罗沛权（郑浩南饰）共同策划连锁行动，誓要将一伙匪徒逮捕。巡警卫景灏（房祖名饰）的哥哥是名打入天养生团伙内部的卧底，碍于身份，他被暂时停职，并想着还哥哥一个清白。三人的追捕中几次不敌天养生，但发现警方有内奸……