Benno Gütermann and his neighbor-best friend Axel Watzke are simple, happy bus drivers in otherwise isolated Harz small town Wernigerode, until they are fired as car dealer Dieter Brausewetter's company abolishes the unprofitable line. The livelihood of Benno, wife Tanja and pre-teen son Tommy and Axel's equally happy family is suddenly crushed, the locals cut-off from the outer world. Shortly after, Benno surprisingly inherits a million Euros from a frugal aunt. So he plans to buy and reopen the bus line, to run it with Axel, and Brausewetter promises the old bus for free, so the community celebrates them as heroes, albeit everyone hopes for some of generous Benno's new fortune. Brausewetter, who is in financial trouble but hides it, promises his creditors Benno's million by becoming his new best friend, introducing him to the good life and high society, even though Tanja had him promise 'nothing would change', while even Axel ends up bitterly estranged.