In a small southern town in the US, twenty down-on-their-luck folks compete to win a brand new pick-up truck, a prize that might finally tip the scales of life in their favor. The annual 'Hands On' contest puts the vehicle literally within their reach – the winning contestant is the last one standing with their hands held firmly on the truck. Armed only with their dreams and determination, the participants forgo basic human needs to stand around the pickup truck for days to beat out their competitors. All for the benefit of an enthusiastic audience and the glare of the local media who turn up each year for the car dealership's popular publicity stunt.

As the blisteringly hot days and long nights of struggle, exhaustion, mind games, hilarity, loss of control and insanity add up, only one winner can drive away with the truck. Each contestant has their own reasons for joining the contest, and as the hours tick by, their humanity is laid bare. Who will hold on and win -- and at what cost?