Cloaca

On his birthday, Pieter secretly takes eight Van Goppel paintings from the depot in the cellar, continuing his long-running act of revenge for being ignored. The paintings have suddenly become highly valuable after Van Goppel's death, which heightens the stakes of his theft. This impulsive act triggers the subsequent crisis involving his colleagues and friends.

Brest invites Pieter out for a meal to deliver the bad news: the eight Van Goppel paintings must be returned. Pieter reveals he has already sold four of the paintings to pay for his apartment, creating a serious dilemma. The confrontational dinner exposes the depth of Pieter's compromising situation.

Joep is kicked out by his wife Conny due to an extramarital affair and cannot stay with his old friend Tom. The summary notes that Tom had already descended into cocaine-fueled insanity a couple of months earlier, complicating any possible aid. The two friends' fragility sets the stage for what follows.

Rancid playwright Maarten prepares for the opening night of his pretentious play The Wheel of Ixion. Joep accompanies him to the theater, not yet aware of the darker personal entanglements surrounding the production. The impending premiere looms over all the characters.

Maarten is revealed to have had sex with Joep's almost 18-year-old daughter Laura, a misconduct Joep does not yet realize. This secret strains the trust within the group and foreshadows the personal conflicts at the premiere. The affair sits as a volatile undercurrent beneath the forthcoming events.

To celebrate Joep's birthday, the friends hire a prostitute for him, which triggers tears from Joep and a brawl with Maarten who also wanted to use her services. The moment exposes the fragility of their friendship and Joep's personal turmoil. It also foreshadows the messy consequences of their intertwined lives.

The friends attend the premiere of Maarten's play, and Joep's distrust about his daughter acting in the production begins to evaporate. The performance backdrop intensifies the emotional currents among the group. The night marks a turning point in their perceptions of each other.

After the premiere, Joep gets a chance to reconcile with his wife Conny, but he bungles the opportunity. This misstep underscores Joep's instability amid growing political responsibilities. The personal and professional spheres continue to collide.

Tom's fragility deepens as he goes crazy and heads into the city to obtain cocaine. The pursuit of drugs mirrors the broader moral collapse surrounding the circle of friends. The crisis escalates the pressure on Pieter and Joep.

Pieter attempts to persuade his colleagues to attest that the Van Goppels had been given to him, hoping to legitimize his possession and resolve the crisis. The maneuver reveals how far he is willing to go and increases the tension among the group. His colleagues' response remains uncertain.

Joep withdraws from the matter after becoming Minister for Culture, removing himself from the potential resolution. This shift reorders the dynamics of power and responsibility within the group. The pursuit of a fair outcome loses its central driver.

Back at Pieter's place, the group looks back on their past while Tom unravels and runs away. Pieter returns home with the bad news and, overwhelmed, cuts one of his arteries in the bathroom. The ending ties together the personal betrayals, professional failures, and the cost of their choices.