Plot
Erik Ponti is a fifteen year old living with his mother and stepfather. At home, his sadistic stepfather beats him for even the most minute infractions. His docile mother ignores her husband's sadistic nature and allows the violence to proceed. At school, Erik is violent and frequently engages in fights, as a result of his violent upbringing. After a particularly vicious fight, Erik is expelled. The headmaster labels him vicious and accuses him of being pure evil. In an attempt to provide her son with a fresh start he sorely needs, his mother sells of some of her possessions and sends Erik to a boarding school.
Upon arriving in Stjärnsberg, realising the boarding school is his last chance at reaching Sixth Form, Erik attempts to forgo his violent tendencies. At the prestigious school twelve members of the Sixth Form form a Student's Council. They exercise a sadistic rule over the school and punish disobeying students physically and psychologically. When Erik refuses to obey the ludicrous requests of two councilmen, Silverhielm and Dalen, he becomes target of relentless bullying. His refusal to demean himself by obeying their humiliating punishments lands him a number of weekend detentions. Erik befriends his intellectual roommate Pierre, who flies below the radar in order to avoid bullying.
Whilst in the school kitchens one weekend, after a particularly gruelling day of labour, Erik meets Marja, a pretty cafeteria worker. The two begin a romantic relationship as Marja admires Erik's resistant and just personality. Meanwhile, Erik joins the swimming team. A swimming match approaches and Erik is determined to win, but soon realises that in order to win he must defeat the current school champion and son of a donor to the school. He realises that winning would make him more of a target than ever, but his fair and dedicated swim coach assures him that it is a matter of honour and he must not lose. Erik wins, breaking a number of school records and humiliating a number of Sixth Formers.
For Christmas break Erik goes home. His stepfather beats him mercilessly, whilst his mother plays the piano to disguise the sounds of the cane. When he arrives back at school, the student council begins targeting Erik geeky friend Pierre. Pierre does not stand up for himself, and pained to see his friend humiliated Erik leaves the swim team. But that doesn't seem to be enough. A while later, Erik is called up to the council president, Silverhielm's room. There Pierre has been made to strip and Dalen threatens to put out a cigarette on his chest, but Erik volunteers instead and unflinchingly endures the pain. The next day, Pierre is challenged to fight the councilmen. He gets beaten up but does not obey their requests.
The next day, Erik is ambushed as he is walking back from detention. They tie him to the ground and pour boiling water over him followed by cold water and leave him outside to freeze. However, he is rescued by Marja. The two sleep together and Erik returns to his room to find Pierre had left the school. Erik, bitter and fed up, challenges Delan and Von Schekken to a fight. He quickly defeats both, and then goes in search of Marja, who has left for Finland after being fired.
The headmaster intercepts a letter from Marja to Erik and expels Erik. Erik finds Silverhielm in the woods and threatens to kill him. As Silverhielm begs for his life on his knees Erik assures him he won't kill him because he is nothing like him. Erik returns to the school with a lawyer and threatens to expose the sadistic measures of discipline and loose law on bullying in the school. He is reinstated. The school year ends and Erik returns home to find his mother has been beaten by his stepfather. His stepfather tries to beat him again, but Erik warns him that it is over. He tells his mother that it is the last time there will be violence in the household and closes the door behind himself as he prepares to get payback for years of violence. He reconciles with Pierre and sets out on realising his dream of becoming a lawyer.
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