Frank Redmond, a no-nonsense 55-year-old working-class guy, is laid off after decades of slaving as a Glasgow shipbuilder. He is without a work or a sense of direction for the first time in his life, and he is too proud to seek assistance. Frank's closest friends - the rascally Danny, the timid Norman, and the cynical Eddie - are all there for him, yet he still feels desperate. Danny's casual remark inspires Frank to push himself. Frank is keen to bolster his own self-confidence as he considers the state of his relationships with his adoring wife Joan and his all-but-estranged son Rob. He intends to tackle the near-impossible: swimming the English Channel.