Beautiful Beings

The film opens with teenage Balli at school, where he is bullied by classmates who push him around and destroy his belongings. On his way home, he is attacked by a group of boys, and one of them strikes him in the face with a tree branch, injuring him and forcing him to wear a mask. This establishes the ongoing theme of youth violence and social hostility.

At home, Balli’s schoolmate Addi and his mother see a news segment about rising youth violence, which mentions Balli’s attack. Addi’s mother feels empathetic, but Addi remains indifferent. Addi’s family struggles with his mother’s clairvoyant beliefs and his father's absence, highlighting the troubled home environment.

The next day, Addi, Siggi, and Konni burn a school textbook and confront Jónas, an older boy, by attacking him when he threatens Konni. The group’s aggressive behavior escalates as they assert their dominance and respond to threats with violence.

The boys start hanging out at Balli’s squalid home, smoking cigarettes and bonding. Balli shares that his father is dead and his stepfather is in jail, revealing his difficult family situation. They later climb onto a roof to talk about their troubled lives.

The group pranks Danni by tricking him into snorting flour, leading to a violent altercation when Konni beats Danni after suspecting him of making damaging accusations about Balli. The incident remains a hush-hush event amongst the boys.

The boys attend a house party where Konni storms in and assaults partygoers. Addi tries to stop him, leading to a fight with other guests. The reckless behavior causes concern, especially when Addi decides he no longer wants to fight.

The group faces an attack by Jónas and older teens. In response, they enlist older boys led by Símon and gather at Balli’s for a party. Addi experiences a psychic vision of violence involving Konni, intensifying the group's fears.

Addi’s psychic dreams reveal visions of violence, including Konni jumping off a building while holding him. These visions increase Addi’s anxiety, causing him to become more fearful of the impending violence.

Addi’s estranged, alcoholic father visits briefly, while Balli’s stepfather is released from prison. Balli’s family appears fearful of him, setting the stage for future conflicts. Addi’s nightmares about abuse intensify his emotional turmoil.

The boys attempt to confront Balli’s stepfather to stop his abusive behavior. In a panic, Addi strikes him with a baseball bat, leaving him in a vegetative state. The boys are questioned by authorities, with Balli taking the blame and being placed in foster care.

In the film's closing scene, Addi visits Balli, who is now doing better with his foster family. They reflect on their friendship, with Balli thanking Addi. The story ends with the two standing together by a river, symbolizing a moment of peace and hope.