When a new English teacher arrives, a class of rowdy 15-year-olds is looking forward to its next 'victim'. But MT (the new teacher) is different. He treats the pupils as adults, not kids. He makes them interested in his subject and before long, they are working hard for him. But MT does not respect the authority of the Headmaster, and is soon in trouble. He blames Scott Richards, one of the pupils, for talking to the head teacher about his free-and-easy teaching methods. But Scott sees MT as his 'mate'. MT has been 'grassed up' by another pupil.
When Scott and his friend Martin go round to MT's house to clear Scott's name, things begin to go wrong. MT, depressed because his girlfriend has left him, puts a bottle of whisky on the table and invites the boys to have a drink ...