Sean Penn had barely hit our movie screens before he was hailed as 'the best actor of his generation'. Then his tumultuous first marriage to Madonna turned his life into pulp fiction, even landing him in jail. But Penn re-emerged as a brilliant director, devoted father, occasional hell-raiser.and reluctant actor, capable nevertheless of breathtaking performances (Dead Man Walking, Sweet and Lowdown, Mystic River). He also found his political voice, inspired by the example of his father Leo, a decorated WWII serviceman whose acting career was cruelly curtailed during the 1940s blacklist era. Drawing on many exclusive interviews, Kelly creates a richly detailed likeness of an uncompromising American artist.