In the tumultuous 1960s, Jude, a young shipyard worker from Liverpool, travels to America to find his estranged father. On his journey, he befriends Max, a carefree college student, and is quickly swept up into the vibrant and volatile world of the era, with its counterculture movements and Vietnam War protests. Jude falls in love with Max's sister, Lucy, a sheltered American teenager whose world opens up through her connection with Jude, leading her to become a passionate anti-war activist.

As the trio becomes intertwined with a diverse range of characters, including a soulful singer named Sadie, her guitar virtuoso lover Jojo, and a spirited teenager named Prudence, they navigate the highs and lows of love, friendship, and artistic expression. Their experiences are set to the iconic music of The Beatles, which both shapes and reflects their journey. The characters find themselves in a whirlwind of situations, from the creative surge of Greenwich Village to the riotous backdrop of Detroit's historic riots, each moment underscored by the era's shifting cultural and political landscapes.