The movie spends most of its time immersing us in the lives of the neighbours: even-tempered Maureen (Ruth Sheen) works with Penny in the supermarket and takes in ironing, which she returns to its owners neatly covered in old Safeway bags. Her daughter Donna (Helen Coker) gets a regular clump from the boyfriend who has put her in the family way, and who is shagging next door's Samantha (Sally Hawkins), whose mum is on the bottle.