Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) is a drummer in a heavy rock combo. Lou (Olivia Cooke) is on vocals. They are partners on stage and off - soulmates in sound and recovery.
He is a heroin addict four years clean, she has a history of self-harm. The band has a nihilist vibe as she screams and roars into a mic accompanied by feedback, dissonance and Ruben's impassioned drumming. He likes to play shirtless, showing off his heavily tattooed torso with the words Please Kill Me scrawled in capitals across his chest. They seem pretty hardcore at first, but looks can be deceptive as it quickly becomes apparent they are deeply in love having found a semblance of peace in each other's company.