It’s the late 1990’s and Amsterdam-based writer Gerard F. Zwaen (Peter van de Witte) is not having the best of times. He is in the middle of a divorce, his standing as a writer is dwindling, his latest novel ‘The Spider…’ is not getting the acclaim he feels it deserves and he needs money. But with adversity comes opportunity, or so his accountant tells him. Zwaen’s life takes a sudden turn when he stumbles upon an unexpected and horrific scene. The writer seems to see an opportunity in it, though… It’s not long before Zwaen starts getting visits from a host of colorful characters. Crooked tax inspector Leon (Ton Kas), drugs trafficker Clyde (Michiel Romeyn) and internal affairs agent Willem (Ruben van der Meer) all seem to suspect him of something. And then there’s Zwaen’s levelheaded girlfriend Lisa (Anniek Pheifer), an artist, who gets more and more involved in the writer’s problems. The consequences of Zwaen’s actions appear to lead him from the more worldly, to bigger and timeless themes…