Becoming famous is one thing. Being famous is another. When Owen Noone turns up at an open-mic event in a Peoria, Illinois bar, he not only brings the house down, he also changes the life of one shy, introspective student. Together they become a rock'n'roll band, Owen Noone and the Marauder, that rises to fame on the back of an improbable hit single: a folk-meets-punk rendition of 'Yankee Doodle'. Signed up to a major record label, criss-crossing America on a national tour, the pair's dreams seem to be coming true; however, being a rock star turns out to be harder than they imagined, and as disasters strike and their private lives become public property, their legendary friendship and success unravel dramatically.