Acclaimed Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene helms this lighthearted tale about a man caught up in a helpless situation as he attempts to perform the simple task of cashing a check from his nephew. An identity card is needed, but when he applies for one, a catalogue of comedic disasters unfolds, with the action often veering into slapstick territory. But what he doesn't realize is the whole situation has been engineered by his nephew, who is trying to avoid paying the debt he owes by giving him the check in the first place. Sliding further into debt by borrowing money that he mistakenly thinks he'll be able to pay back later, the situations Sembene engineers as the film reaches its climax are both poignant and very funny.