Johnny (Tom Hardy) is married, has two kids and makes a living as a truck driver. He sees Marlon Brando's 1953 movie, 'The Wild One,' and it becomes the spark that gets him to start a motorcycle club in Chicago.

Among the members of his club, the Vandals, are bike nerd and mechanic Cal (Boyd Holbrook), Zipco (Michael Shannon), who drinks, looks in disdain at 'pinkos' and regrets not fighting Vietnam, and dependable lieutenant Brucie (Damon Herriman). Then there's the new kid, Benny (Austin Butler) — a man of few words; he's loyal yet has a wild recklessness about him.