John Baldassi is a small business owner who lives a peaceful and prosperous existence , alongside the housewife Lucia and two children . The larger of the two sons , the teenager Matteo , however, seems to hide many secrets . Indeed one day the boy disappears into thin air , and after the first suspicions that this is a kidnapping or an escape , makes its way a disturbing hypothesis , dictated by some gruesome discoveries of John in his garage .