It's 1914. Rudyard Kipling (David Haig), the British Empire's greatest supporter, is at the peak of his literary fame. Kipling's son, Jack (Daniel Radcliffe), is determined to play his part in the imminent war with Germany, but finds himself rejected due to his extremely poor eyesight.
When his father uses his influence to land Jack a commission in the Irish Guards, Kipling's wife, Caroline (Kim Cattrall), is bitterly upset, failing to see the glory in losing her only son to the war.
As Jack leaves for war, Kipling consoles himself with the thought that if his son should die, it will have been his finest hour. But how would the great writer justify the consequences of his actions to himself and his wife? And how would he live with the conflict between his two greatest passions: a love for his family and a devotion to King and Country?
