2003年的中国,社会变革激荡,人们野心勃勃。当时互联网尚未席卷一切,纸媒为王。没钱、没学历、没背景的“三无青年”韩东(白客 饰)怀揣新闻理想与女友小竹(苗苗 饰)开始了北漂生涯,期间在知名记者黄江(张颂文 饰)的帮助下进入报社实习,在一次案件调查中,韩东发现了背后更大的真相。一边是光明的前途,一边是心中的正义,韩东在两难中选择挺身而出……Inspired by a true story. Han Dong (starring Bai Ke) is a worker from a small town who drops out of high school with a dream of becoming a journalist. He gives up a stable job in his hometown and struggles to make a living in Beijing. Luckily, Huang Jiang (starring Zhang Songwen), a journalist of Jingcheng Times, recommends him to do an internship in the newspaper office by chance. At the critical moment of determining if he will be officially hired, Han Dong is having a tough choice when faced with moral and fact. An internship bearing no payment, girlfriend Xiao Zhu (starring Miao Miao) having a depression episode, belongings being thrown out by the landlord - to follow the rules and be officially hired, or to follow the heart and find out the truth? In the struggling life of a Beijing drifter, Han Dong makes his choice.