After years of laboring as a Glasgow shipbuilder,'' Frank Redmond, a working-class man, suddenly finds himself laid off. Without employment or a sense of management , he could be for the first time in his entire life, and he is too proud to request guidance. His best mates - self-conscious Norman rascally Danny and cynical Eddie - are there for him personally , but Frank still feels alone. An offhand remark from Danny motivates Frank to challenge himself. Contemplating the condition of his relationships with wife Joan and all-but-estranged son Rob, Frank is determined to shore up his or her own self confidence. He'll attempt the near impossible - swimming the English Channel.