Steve Butler, portrayed by Matt Damon, is an ambitious representative for Global Cross Power Solutions, a company specializing in extracting natural gas from underground shale deposits using the controversial method of fracking. His talent lies in efficiently securing signatures from landowners faster and at a lower cost compared to his competitors.
He arrives in a quaint farming town in Pennsylvania with his partner, Sue Thomason, played by Frances McDormand](/actor/frances-mcdormand). They stop at a local store owned by Rob (titus Welliver) to acquire clothing appropriate for blending in. While Steve checks out new boots, he holds onto his grandfather's well-loved pair. The farmers around town are struggling to keep their generations-old businesses viable, clinging to their family heritage and worrying about passing down their land to their children.
Having grown up in a similar small town, Butler believes these communities, which have suffered economic setbacks, are in need of industry to survive. He points out that family farms alone cannot sustain the households; thus, he views his company's offer as a lifeline. As one local store owner puts it, > "We can't sell the scenery, can we?"
Initially, Butler and Thomason expect their mission to last just two to three days, believing that securing land contracts will be straightforward. During their first conversation with a farmer, Steve boldly promises wealth and prosperity. Things take a turn when he meets Gerry Richards (Ken Strunk), who intimates that his influence could make or break Global's plans during a town hall meeting. Butler proposes a sum of $30,000 for his assistance which Richards believes is too low, leading to a tense negotiation.
Later, after a night out, Butler wakes up disoriented in the home of Alice (Rosemarie DeWitt), a local teacher he met at a bar. At a local town meeting, Supervisor Richards pushes for the acceptance of Global's proposition. However, he is confronted by Frank Yates (Hal Holbrook), a respected science teacher, who raises significant concerns about the environmental ramifications of fracking and demands a delay for a town vote. Yates, leveraging his academic background, dissects the potential value of the land, stating it could be worth $150 million.
In a twist of fate, Butler encounters Dustin Noble (John Krasinski), an environmental activist representing a group opposing Global. Noble's presence complicates the matter, especially as he educates locals about the dangers of fracking, showing disturbing images of cattle deaths linked to drilling operations. Butler and Thomason try to charm the townspeople to gain their trust, but Noble's effective connection with the crowd leaves them reeling.
As negotiations continue, Noble opens up about his family's disastrous experience after signing with Global, revealing the devastating health impacts on their cattle. Tension rises when Butler and Thomason attempt to undercut Noble's influence but find him growing closer to the community, even after accepting a donation from them.
However, the atmosphere shifts dramatically when Noble reveals his deception. At a pivotal town meeting, Butler exposes Noble's manipulations and secrets, learning that Noble is intertwined with Global’s machinations, initially aiming to derail the environmental movement.
As the town prepares to vote on whether to sell their land, Butler confronts the truth, presenting to the townsfolk his personal ties to the barn in the incriminating photo that had circulated, ultimately revealing his own connection with the community. In a bittersweet and complex twist, he finds himself torn between his job and the ethics of his actions, leading to a climactic confrontation with Thomason as the economic and personal stakes grow impossibly high.
