Bruce Springsteen retreats to a house in New Jersey in 1981 after the success of "Hungry Heart." Instead of writing commercial hits, he immerses himself in dark themes, watches films like "Badlands," reads Flannery O'Connor, and records the album "Nebraska" on a 4-track recorder in his bedroom. His manager, Jon Landau, supports him like a therapist and friend, while childhood traumas, his father's mental health issues, and his own depression catch up with the musician.