Quadrophenia

Jimmy Cooper, a disillusioned young London mod, vents his teenage angst with amphetamines and late-night partying. He escapes into scooter rides and brawls with rockers, growing increasingly disconnected from his parents and his dull job in advertising. The atmosphere in his world is raw and restless, setting the stage for the weekend's riots.

An attack by hostile rockers on Spider triggers a retaliatory assault on Kevin, a rival rocker and Jimmy's childhood friend. Jimmy initially joins in but, upon realizing Kevin is the victim, berates the attackers yet does not intervene, instead riding off in frustration.

A planned weekend away to Brighton becomes a flashpoint for the Mods-Rockers rivalry. Jimmy hopes to be noticed as a 'face' and hints to Steph that he wants her to ride with him, but she chooses to ride with Pete instead.

To prep for the weekend, the friends try to buy recreational drugs from London gangster Harry North but are cheated with fake pills. In retaliation they vandalise the drug-seller's car and eventually rob a pharmacy to obtain a large supply of blues.

An early morning group ride from London to the south coast brings the friends to Brighton's seafront. Jimmy first spots the flamboyant Ace Face, a scooter-mod who will become a focal point later.

In a Brighton dance hall, Jimmy tries to help Steph dance with Ace Face, but Ace singles her out and dances with her instead. Steph leaves Jimmy as Ace Face draws her away, and Jimmy is eventually ejected by bouncers.

The group sleeps rough for the night, then reconvenes at a cafe the next morning before wandering the promenade. A series of running battles erupt as police close in; Jimmy and Steph briefly reconnect and have sex before being detained.

Jimmy is arrested during the melee and detained alongside Ace Face. He is fined £75, a hefty sum, and Ace Face boasts about paying with a cheque, impressing the other mods.

Back in London, Jimmy's world unravels as his mother throws him out after finding his amphetamine stash. He quits his job, spends his severance on more pills, and learns Steph is now Dave's girlfriend.

Jimmy briefly fights with Dave over Steph, only to realize her affection has moved on. The next morning, his Lambretta is damaged in a collision with a Royal Mail van.

Lonely and directionless, Jimmy travels back to Brighton, taking more pills and growing increasingly unstable. He revisits the riot sites and his moment with Steph, hoping to reclaim a sense of purpose.

Jimmy learns that Ace Face now works as a bellboy at the Grand Hotel, shattering his idol image. He steals Ace's Vespa and heads toward Beachy Head, intending to escape from his life.

At Beachy Head, Jimmy rides along the cliff-edge, initially enjoying the ride before his mood turns to despair. The scooter veers and crashes over the cliff, echoing the film's opening image of him walking away at sunset.