Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter from
Lowestoft who plays gigs to tiny audiences. His manager and childhood friend Ellie Appleton, a mathematics teacher, encourages him not to give up on his dreams. Jack is hit by a bus during a 12-second global power failure. After recovering from the accident, Jack sings
the Beatles's song "
Yesterday" for his friends, who are all impressed and assume he wrote it. He quickly discovers that they have never heard of the Beatles, much to his astonishment. Searching for the Beatles on the Internet, Jack finds nothing. Jack then discovers the band's records missing from his collection, and he realises that he is now living in a
parallel universe where the Beatles have never existed. He later discovers the absence of things like Coca Cola and tobacco smoking. Jack begins performing Beatles songs, passing them off as his own. Ellie has him record a demo with Gavin, a local music producer. Following a performance on local television, Jack is invited by singer
Ed Sheeran to play as his opening act in
Moscow. Ellie has a parents' evening scheduled, so declines to join him. Instead, Jack's friend and roadie Rocky travels with him. After the gig, Ed challenges Jack to a songwriting duel. Jack plays "
The Long and Winding Road", and Ed accepts defeat. In
Los Angeles, Ed's ruthless manager Debra Hammer signs Jack to her label and engineers his rise to global fame. Ellie confesses that she has always been in love with him at his going-away party prior to moving to Los Angeles. Jack starts recording an album at
EastWest Studios, but he cannot remember the lyrics for "
Eleanor Rigby". Hoping to trigger memories, Jack goes to the Beatles' hometown of
Liverpool, visiting landmarks such as
Strawberry Field,
Penny Lane, and the grave of
Eleanor Rigby. Ellie joins him in Liverpool, and they share a drunken evening and kiss, but she tells him that she is not interested in a one-night stand. The next morning, Jack and Rocky pursue Ellie to
Liverpool Lime Street railway station, where she congratulates him. However, she tells him that she cannot be a part of his celebrity life. Heartbroken, Jack returns to Los Angeles and is desperate to have an ordinary life again, while Ellie begins dating Gavin. The record label prepares to launch Jack's debut album, but they reject his title ideas—taken from Beatles albums—and name it
One Man Only. Jack persuades them to launch the album with a rooftop concert in
Gorleston-on-Sea. There, two people who also recall the Beatles approach him backstage. They tell Jack that they know that he did not write the songs, but thank him anyway, having feared that the Beatles' music was gone forever. They give him the address of
John Lennon, who never became a big star in this reality. Jack visits the 78-year-old Lennon, who has lived a long, happy life out of the public spotlight with his wife. Lennon advises Jack to pursue the one he loves and always tell the truth. Jack calls in a favour with Ed Sheeran, who arranges for him to join him onstage at
Wembley Stadium. He confesses to the crowd that he did not write the music and that he loves Ellie. Jack has Rocky upload the songs free on the internet, sabotaging the record release and enraging Debra. He and Ellie return to her home and finally are intimate. In the morning, Jack equates his feelings for Ellie with how
Harry Potter must have felt when he defeated
Lord Voldemort. Ellie asks "Who?". The two decide to start a family, and Jack gives up stardom to become a music teacher. ==Cast==