[2] The young Gene Krupa brings home a set of drums and puts them in the family room.

His mother and three of his brothers stand by as his father makes it clear, as he has many times before, that he abhors the idea of Gene playing jazz drums.

Gene says he will find a way to keep getting drums no matter how often his father busts them, that he has an opportunity to play with a group of guys, for money.

During rehearsals for some of his initial club performances, Krupa meets a girl named Ethel, who is immediately struck by his drumming.

He imagines “syncopated versions” of Ave Maria when he should be listening to hymns in a quiet, penitent reverie; even after a year there, he cannot shake his dreams of becoming a musician.

The priest who is his advisor suspects Krupa's interest is waning and reminds him that the priesthood is "a fulfillment, not a penance".

Krupa gently rubs the drum set's crash cymbal between his thumb and forefinger; his friend Eddie asks him to sit in with the gang for the summer.

At an upscale party, in a leap of faith, Krupa takes over the drums and performs with the bandleader Tommy Dorsey, his brother Jimmy and Red Nichols.

He becomes maddened with his success; he throws wild parties in his ostentatious home, embarks on a downward spiral of alcohol abuse and cheating on Ethel, and alienates Eddie.

At the peak of his career, Krupa is busted on dope charges after marijuana cigarettes in envelopes are found in his coat.

Upon release, Gene speaks with Ken Le May about working in his band, only to be rejected because of the public's perception of Krupa as an addict.