The Optimists of Nine Elms

Sam, a dignified former music hall artist, busks on the streets of the West End with his elderly dog Bella. The performance establishes their close bond and the precariousness of their everyday life in London. Passersby toss coins as Bella stays by Sam's side.

Two local kids, Liz and Mark, stumble upon Sam's rundown Nine Elms yard while out walking. He chases them away at first, but they follow him as he wheels his busking gear and Bella in an Edwardian pram. This encounter marks the start of an uneasy, evolving relationship.

Sam grows protective of the children and agrees to include them in his life. They talk about visiting Hyde Park's pet cemetery to bury Bella someday. The plan foreshadows the emotional stakes surrounding Bella's fate.

During a visit to the new flats, Sam reveals that his wife died ten years earlier and his seven grown children are scattered around the world. He laments unreliable humans and asserts that dogs are more dependable. This conversation deepens the bond with the children.

The group concludes that a dog would be a good addition and that the kids would help look after it. They agree to pursue getting a dog if possible. The idea becomes the central goal that binds them.

The trio goes to Battersea Dogs Home and Sam pretends to be the children's grandfather to help them adopt a dog. The staff insist the dog can only be taken if it is paid for, leaving them bitterly disappointed. Sam's humiliation contrasts with the children's determination.

Back home, the mother seems unsympathetic to the idea of a dog, pushing the kids to find money by doing odd jobs. The financial strain of the family life becomes a driving force behind their actions. The kids' resolve hardens as they chase the dream of a dog.

A few days later, Sam asks the children to babysit Bella for extra money and they agree after some bargaining. The arrangement deepens trust between Sam and the kids and keeps the dog dream alive. Bella remains a fragile, central figure in their plan.

The children visit their dad at the gasworks to ask for the balance they need. He explains that every penny must be saved to secure a new flat, highlighting the family's precarious finances. The practical hurdle tests their commitment to the plan.

Sam agrees to give them the balance as an advance for more babysitting duties. The gesture preserves the possibility of a dog and strengthens his bond with the children. It also foreshadows the fragile stability of their arrangement.

The children, with Sam, learn they have a new council flat and go to collect their dog, naming it Battersea. They discover the flat is in Nine Elms and that dogs are not allowed, clashing with their expectations. The logistical conflict adds tension to their growing family dynamic.

Sam is drunk and mourning Bella, rejecting Battersea when the kids try to hand it to him. He jokes that Bella will have a grand funeral for the dustcart, revealing his numb grief. The emotional strain pushes their plan toward a drastic act.

The children tie Battersea to Sam's table, take Bella's body, and sneak into Hyde Park's pet cemetery to bury her. They hide when Dad and Sam arrive outside the cemetery and talk late into the night about life, death, dogs and children. The act cements their shared bond and the lengths they will go for Bella.

The next morning Dad is overjoyed to see the children safe and sound. They leave Battersea with Sam, symbolically sealing a fragile new arrangement and a sense of family that includes the dog. The morning light hints at a cautious, hopeful future.