The film is set in 1983 and unfolds mainly in Amsterdam, revolving around a tight-knit group of five Dutch friends: Willem Holleeder, Cor van Hout, Jan Boellard, Martin Erkamps, and Frans Meijer. Although they initially thrive with their construction business, they quickly squander their profits on luxurious indulgences. When the economy falters, their fortunes plummet as their office building falls prey to squatters, and the bank refuses to extend any credit.
In desperate pursuit of quick cash, they hatch a daring plan to kidnap the tycoon Freddy Heineken (played by Anthony Hopkins), seeking an exorbitant ransom. The choice to target Heineken is influenced by Cor's father-in-law, who idolizes the businessman, further fuelling their misplaced aspirations. To fund their audacious kidnapping, the gang resorts to robbing a bank's armored vehicle.
With the stolen money, they meticulously prepare a soundproof room for their captive, ensuring that Mr. Heineken and his driver, Ab Doderer, remain under constant surveillance. However, the group's inexperience in crime soon becomes apparent. A taxi driver witnesses the abduction and promptly alerts the authorities, while a mishap occurs during the photocopying of the ransom note; one of the gang members accidentally leaves the original behind, leaving crucial fingerprints that lead back to them. They scramble to recover it the next day, aware of the gravity of their blunder.
As days turn into weeks without any communication from the police, tension escalates among the friends. After three agonizing weeks, Heineken feigns cooperation and helps craft a personal note that garners police interest, leading to negotiations. Meanwhile, Cor feels a strong sense of responsibility towards his pregnant wife, Sonja (Jemima West), which complicates matters.
In the midst of this turmoil, the group devises a detailed plan for the police to deliver the ransom without revealing their identities. Although they believe they have successfully hidden the money in a forest, caution arises when they realize they are being tracked by the police. Chased by fear, the gang retrieves half the ransom and makes plans to escape the country until the heat dies down. However, leaving Heineken in his isolated room proves to be a contentious decision that raises moral dilemmas among the group.
The situation takes a dramatic turn when Jan is apprehended after attempting to release Heineken, inadvertently guiding the police to the tycoon. While Willem and Cor escape to Paris aiming to lay low, Cor's emotional urge to contact Sonja puts them at great risk of exposure. This fateful decision eventually leads to the arrest of both Cor and Sonja by French police while they attempt to flee their hideout.
In the aftermath, Jan serves a 12-year sentence, Martin receives 8 years, while Frans evades capture temporarily but is later extradited from Paraguay after ten years. Cor and Willem each face 11 years in prison. Remarkably, upon their release, they return to a life of crime, ascending to become the notorious Godfathers of Amsterdam. Tragically, Cor is assassinated in 2003, and a significant portion of their ill-gotten gains remains unrecovered, closing a dark chapter of ambition turned crime.
