黄河中部某煤矿。矿工广生(刘磊 饰)与师父日日下井,暗中却与师母(王澜 饰)维持着关系,师父胖大的傻儿子阿福(肖明 饰)与一头毛驴感情甚笃,即便撞破了广生与母亲之事也不明就里。不久矿山发生事故,师父生死,广生为自己本可救出师父却选择独自逃生而深深自责,他终止了同师母的关系,劝其离开。广生将残破的煤矿承包独自经营,阿福返回煤矿一同劳动。随着煤矿的经营转入正轨,广生的经济状况有所好转,他向师父的幻影承诺:为阿福找到媳妇儿。相亲的姑娘们络绎不绝的来到矿上,广生在小店的按摩房里邂逅了背井离乡的红梅,他克制自己对红梅的爱意将她许配给了阿福……At the heart of a small mining town, reflecting the economic and social upheavals of contemporary China, the destiny of Guangsheng, torn between the respect he owes to his own and his own desires.