Plot: On a train, Keith and Mick chat about the blues and the Rolling Stones are born. Douglas and Joe chat in front of a New Jersey music store, and a band is born: as Douglas's sister tells us, it's one of many that don't make it. We follow Douglas from high school (1963-64), when he sees himself as a loser, into the band, playing drums and singing backup - then as the front man. There are tensions, a breakup, an audition in front of a major player, and decisions. Douglas pursues Grace, a country-club gal with hip sensibilities who believes in him. There's also his father, working class, wanting Douglas to apply himself as he watches his own life fill with regrets.
Alternative Plot: In 1960s New Jersey, Doug (John Magaro) drops out of college to devote his energies to the rock band he founded in high school, much to the chagrin of his father (James Gandolfini). When Gene (Jack Huston), the band's lead singer, has a mishap that temporarily knocks him out as frontman, Doug takes over. The band's new sound is a hit with the crowd, leading to Gene's ever-increasing resentment. Meanwhile, Wells (Will Brill), another bandmate, struggles with the group's reach for fame.
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