Autumn 1977. Derek Springfield is an 18-year-old misfit, who 5 years earlier was plucked from his home in the industrial outskirts of Leeds to attend Public School on a scholarship. He has just returned home at the end of his studies to await his Oxbridge results that he's hoping will result in his permanent escape. Life at home is awkward for the brainy lad and embarrassing for his working class family who can't relate his feckless dad, no-nonsense mum and two older brothers, one a football hopeful and the other a distinctly dodgy acquirer of flash consumer goods.　　Derek kills time by walking a no hope greyhound, Slapper, and loving out-of-his league Chrissie from afar. But under Derek's loving care Slapper gets faster - so fast she's stolen for her racing potential. Derek despairs at being completely alone once more but Chrissie gets the local community to keep watch. Slapper eventually escapes from her furious captors at an illegal flapper track. Exhausted, she somehow finds her way back and is reunited with Derek who tries to nurse her back to health his bedroom without his family finding out.　　Derek, Chrissie and Slapper disguise themselves to avoid the dognappers and try their luck at racing her at a proper dog track. The dognappers and all the Springfields converge on the stadium for the exciting climax.　　Its also the day Derek's results are due...

　　本片中的一家罗马穷人纯粹是无恶不作的刁民，欺诈、通奸、谋杀、淫乱，什么都干。大家长失去了左眼，从政府那里获得一百万里拉的补偿，他的亲戚想给他下毒，而他自己则花天酒地，甚至把妓女带回家。他酗酒、吹牛，还拿着手枪威胁亲戚。那些亲戚们如同是歌剧里的合唱队，步调一致对付他。他那十多个孩子似乎都被困在这个贫民窟里，前途无望。

改编自同名音乐剧，故事以罗尔德·达尔1988年的同名小说为基础，玛蒂尔达是个天资过人的女孩，她拥有敏锐的思维和生动的想象力，敢于改变自己的人生并取得不可思议的成果。