In the tumultuous Germany of the 1920s, a boy named Oskar Matzerath refuses to grow up. At the age of three, he decides that if the world is so cruel and chaotic, it makes no sense to continue the routine of aging. So, in an act of rebellion, he remains trapped in the innocence of childhood and begins to play his tin drum, an instrument that symbolizes his resistance and determination.
The story unfolds in a historical and social context marked by the rise of Nazism, where Oskar's life is intertwined with the experiences of his family and the society that surrounds him. As he grows, Oskar uses his voice and his drum as tools to challenge the suffocating reality, shrewdly observing the hypocrisy and brutality of the adult world.
The film portrays his life marked by love, war, and the struggle for identity, as well as his connections with the people around him, from his mother to the friends and lovers who come in and out of his life. With a surreal visual style and a narrative rich in symbolism, this masterpiece of German cinema takes the viewer on a deep and emotional journey, questioning the nature of childhood, growth, and memory amidst a world in crisis.