In 1970s New York, Dali enjoys the latter stage of his career with a lifestyle filled with luxury and extravagant parties. Surrounded by his own decadence, and his band of eccentric followers (Rupert Graves, Suki Waterhouse, Andreja Pejic) who worship his charismatic persona, he is content with avoiding a fast-approaching art show and the demands of his formidable wife, Gala (Barbara Sukowa).

The story is told through the eyes of James Linton (Christopher Briney), a young gallery assistant, keen to make his name in the art world. After quickly becoming enraptured by the provocative world of Dali, the façade begins to fade when he uncovers that behind the glitz and glamour lies a fragile genius, haunted by the past and unprepared for the changing tide of the world around him.