Sixty-year-old Kempton Bunton, portrayed by Jim Broadbent, finds himself in Court Number 1 at the Old Bailey, where he pleads not guilty to accusations of stealing Goya's Portrait of the Duke of Wellington and its frame from the esteemed National Gallery in London. The story unfolds back in the spring of 1961 when Kempton, a self-taught working-class man from Newcastle upon Tyne, had sent a script to the BBC. Shortly after, he is incarcerated for 13 days at Durham for the audacious act of watching television without a license. Despite being able to afford one, he stands firm against the idea of paying, driven by his campaign advocating for pensioners and his steadfast beliefs in supporting the common man.
Upon his release, Kempton's son Jackie (played by Fionn Whitehead) meets him, and together they visit the grave of Marion, Jackie’s sister, who tragically lost her life at just 18 in a biking accident. Meanwhile, Kempton's wife Dorothy, depicted by Helen Mirren, works diligently as a housekeeper and babysitter for a local councillor. Jackie has aspirations to become a boat-builder and move away, contrasted by the elder brother Kenny (not portrayed by an actor provided in the cast list), whose life in Leeds is characterized by low-level criminal activity.
Kempton's stint as a taxi driver comes to an end when he is fired for being overly talkative with passengers and giving a free ride to a destitute disabled veteran of the First World War. Determined, he persuades Dorothy to permit him a brief trip to London to garner media and parliamentary interest in his campaign, promising that if he fails, he will abandon writing and find a traditional job. Following his return, a thief with a distinct northeast English accent steals the painting, prompting Kempton and Jackie to craft a hidden compartment in their wardrobe for the artwork.
To stir intrigue and support for his cause, Kempton sends ransom notes to the government, specifying the return of the painting under the condition that the elderly are exempt from paying for a TV license. Complications arise when Kenny visits his parents with his estranged lover Pammy (not portrayed by an actor provided in the cast list), who uncovers the secret of the painting's hiding place, seeking half the £5,000 reward. In a state of panic, Kempton abandons plans of raising money through a painting exhibition, choosing instead to walk into the National Gallery to return the artwork and confess to the theft.
Despite seemingly dire circumstances, his barrister Jeremy Hutchinson QC, played by Matthew Goode, argues that Kempton had no intention to deprive the gallery of the painting permanently, framing it as a temporary "borrowing" to support his cause. Kempton's enthusiasm and verbose testimony during the questioning only bolster this argument.
As the trial progresses back in Newcastle, Jackie confesses to his mother Dorothy that he was the actual thief, with his father heroically taking the fall. Ultimately, the jury finds Kempton not guilty of all charges except for the theft of the £80 picture frame, which Jackie had mistakenly lost. Their three-month separation leads Kempton and Dorothy towards reconciliation as they reflect on their grief over Marion's death. This moment of healing culminates in them watching Dr. No, where they laugh together at a scene that features the 'stolen' Goya painting.
Four years later, Jackie comes clean to the police about his role in the theft, but the authorities, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, choose not to pursue charges out of concern for Kempton becoming embroiled in another public spectacle. They strike a deal; if Jackie remains silent, he will not be prosecuted. The film closes with text indicating that the frame was never recovered, Bunton's plays were never produced, yet in 2000, a significant milestone was achieved when TV licenses were made free for those over 75. Ironically, by August 2020, shortly before the film's premiere, this policy had been rescinded.
