In post-war London, aimless young married bisexual, Johnny, is sent to prison forcing him to entrust his beloved Alsatian dog, Evie, to the reluctant care of his down-trodden parents and older, middle-class former-lover and best friend, Frank. After a series of visits to Johnny's parents' home, Frank bonds with the dog whose mischievous spirit reminds him of his incarcerated friend. As it becomes apparent to Frank that Johnny's father is beating the dog, who is left for days on end in a small yard, a class war erupts over Evie's welfare, exacerbated by Johnny's manipulative and antagonistic wife Megan, whose sole aim is to claim Johnny back from Frank on his forthcoming release. A set of tragi-comic relationships evolve with the dog coming to represent the hold they have over each other.