Mia (Emma Stone) is eager to become an actress, but she is still just an ordinary barista in the studio cafe. Although she has been participating in auditions of all sizes, Mia has only failed. One day, at a party, Mia met a man named Sebastian (Ryan Gosling). At first, there was a small conflict between the two, but soon, Mia was attracted by Sebastian's shining talent and his pure pursuit of jazz, and finally the two came together. Encouraged by Sebastian, Mia quit her job in the cafe and concentrated on writing scripts for herself. At the same time, in order to get a stable income, Sebastian joined a popular jazz band and began to play modern jazz that he didn't like. Unexpectedly, he became a hit. As time goes by, the two people who strive to pursue their dreams are getting farther and farther away from each other. They must make a choice between ideals and feelings.