Based on true events, the story of Olympic Gold Medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz, who sees a way out from the shadow of his more celebrated wrestling brother Dave and a life of poverty when he is summoned by eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont to move onto his estate and train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Desperate to gain the respect of his disapproving mother, du Pont begins "coaching" a world-class athletic team and, in the process, lures Mark into dangerous habits, breaks his confidence and drives him into a self-destructive spiral.  .