Young photographer Dennis Stock tries to pin down rising actor James Dean in order to give a Life magazine assignment more weight than a simple puff piece. However, when Jimmy is not reluctant, he's chaotic, swept along by joy, play and mischief. When Dennis is not annoyed, he's exasperated--trying to get the elusive Jimmy to focus or even just show up. Heading from New York back to the Indiana farm where Jimmy grew up, Dennis thinks he's capturing a star in the moment before he blows up--not realising he's documenting the last moments of intimacy and simplicity James Dean will ever know.