1946年,时年七岁的戴维•寇克斯(约翰•C•赖利 John C. Reilly 饰)在玩闹时失手将兄弟内特一刀砍为两段,父亲对逝去精通钢琴梦想远大的儿子伤心异常,从此对戴维心有芥蒂,而戴维带着内特死前的嘱托,发挥出了自己的音乐天赋。14岁的一次表演,令戴维卷入小镇的舆论中心,他不堪周围逼仄的环境,带着12岁的女友奔向了自己的音乐梦想。在舞厅中栖身的戴维偶然得到顶替演出的机会并幸运的在犹太商人资助下发行了一支热门单曲《艰难前行》,自此大热,此后的巡演中,戴维开始吸毒、创造更多佳作、并与副唱女歌手达令•麦迪森(珍娜•费舍尔 Jenna Fischer 饰)冲动结婚犯下重婚过错。21岁的戴维经历了牢狱之灾和康复治疗,在六十年代的反战潮流中与披头士在印度一同静思。关于他的传奇故事,还远未结束……The up-and-down-and-up-again story of musician Dewey Cox, whose songs would change a nation. On his rock 'n roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 36 kids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp, and gets addicted to - and then kicks - every drug known to man; but despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman - longtime backup singer Darlene.