Plot

Set against the backdrop of boxing at the Naval Academy, centers on a young man from the wrong side of the tracks whose dream of attending Annapolis becomes a reality.

Jake Huard, from a shipbuilders family, promised his dying mother he'd make it to Annapolis Naval Academy. Thanks to tenaciously bugging a Congressman he's selected, despite dubious grades. Once inside Jake soon proves sub-standard academically. Constantly challenged to his limits, repeatedly made the 'over-cocky' reason for the entire class to suffer, Jake nearly quits, but after facing his utterly unsupportive father's gloating returns just in time. Stubborn Jake finds support with mates as well as Ali, his lover-to-be, and a discipline he may excel in: the 'brigade' boxing tournament, open to all ranks.—KGF Vissers

After requesting thirty-four times to his congressman, the shipyard welder and amateurish boxer Jake Huard joins the U.S. Naval Academy. Having difficulties in the classes and suffering prejudice in his relationship with his superior Cole, he has the support of his roommate and his superiors Ali and Lt. Commander Burton. Jake studies hard and trains for an internal box competition, in an unfair environment.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Jake Huard (James Franco) wakes up after being knocked down during a boxing match. After returning to his feet and beating his opponent, he returns to the home he shares with his distant father Bill Huard (Brian Goodman), who is also his employer at a naval shipyard, building vessels for the Navy. It is revealed that his mother died an unspecified time ago, and his father doubts his ability to be anything. It is established that Jake has always fought the odds, and nobody has ever believed in him. Jake works at the shipyard with his father but is frequently called up by the supervisor to redo his work due to mistakes (like bubbles in the cross-seam welding).

The next day, Jake is visited by LCDR Burton (Donnie Wahlberg), who reveals that his application to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland has been recently accepted. Jake admits that he went 34 straight days to his local Congressman for his recommendation letter. Burton says that few spots opened up in this year's class due to young men deciding at the last minute to have fun in college. Burton says that Jake will be months behind students who have already been preparing for the academy. Jake's friends include AJ (Jim Parrack) and Kevin (Billy Finnigan).

At a bar where Jake and his friends are celebrating his acceptance, his friends introduce him to a young woman named Ali (Jordana Brewster), who they claim is a prostitute hired as a going-away present. Huard's attempts to seduce Ali are unsuccessful, and his farewell with his father leaves him frustrated. Jake says that he doesn't want to join the Union, but Bill is adamant that he will not be able to take orders from the military, since he doesn't listen to his own father.

On his first day at the Academy, Huard discovers that one of his instructors is Ali, a Midshipman 2nd Class (an upperclassman) and the same woman that his friends introduced him to. She and her fellow instructor, Whitaker (McCaleb Burnett), begin hazing Jake's class of plebes, and Jake in particular is behind academically. The class is 1207 strong. Their company commanding officer, Midshipman Lieutenant 1st Class Cole (Tyrese Gibson), is an enlisted Marine (served 3 years before joining the academy), and announces his intent to run out any midshipman he feels will not become a worthy officer. Cole is clear that mistakes made by officers, lead to body bags of soldiers being delivered to their families. Jake's roommates include Nance (Vicellous Reon Shannon) (nicknamed Twins because he is too overweight to complete the obstacle course), Loo (Roger Fan), and Estrada (Wilmer Calderon), who is being singled out by Whitaker because of his race. Whitaker orders Estrada to shower and shave every 3 hours after lights out, as he "smells". Loo and Jake compete to be fastest on the obstacle course.

Jake is behind the rest of the class in academics and frequently brings his group down. He refuses to accept any help from Loo. Whitaker continues to raze Jake with pop quizzes and catches Jake guessing the answers. Cole says that worst officer is the one who doesn't have the courage to admit that he or she does not know the answer. As time goes on, Estrada is kicked out for lying to Whitaker (Estrada says that he has been showering every 3 hours as instructed, but Loo knew that he missed one day out of the last 6 weeks) and attempting to assault Loo when he informs on Estrada to Cole.

Cole taunts Jake to pick a fight with him. He gets a chance to challenge Cole in the boxing training ring. Huard angers the boxing instructor McNally (Chi McBride) with some unsportsmanlike conduct toward Cole in the ring (In a training fight Cole beats Jake easily, but Jake hits Cole after the bout was over), and he is forced to train by himself. Huard's class becomes increasingly frustrated from suffering due to his failures, as evidenced by Loo moving out of the room. Nance explains his refusal to leave by noting that the instructors are so focused on Huard that they are leaving him alone.

Returning home on winter leave, he intends not to return until he discovers that his father made a wager, expecting him to fail. Ali meets Jake at a bar and shares a dance with him, indicating that she is interested in him. Upon his return, the class continues its instruction in boxing, and it is announced that a midshipman tournament, the Brigades, will occur at the end of the year. Cole makes it clear to Jake that he has been a soldier and knows the difference between a good and a bad officer. Cole promises not to let anyone finish the course until they are worthy.

After an after-hours match with Burton, Huard swallows his pride and admits he needs help training. Burton says that Jake will not survive Annapolis on his own, and that Burton was the one who backed Jake's application in front of the board. Jake enlists Ali and Burton for physical training, and Nance for academics and to gain enough weight to be in Cole's weight class. Jake also trains Nance for the obstacle course.

In his match with Loo, he endures some taunting and returns with a single-punch knockout, earning him Loo's respect and support. Jake also turns the rest of his class when he proves capable of performing academically. He progresses through the tournament and defeats Whitaker in the semifinals, leaving Huard and Cole for the final match. The academy visits the docks to inspect the latest under construction warship, incidentally, being built by Jake's father. Jake invites Bill to his final's fight.

After Nance fails by just four seconds to successfully complete the obstacle course within five minutes, Cole informs Nance that he will be separated from the Academy. Nance attempts suicide, which prompts Jake to tackle Cole in anger. Expecting to be kicked out, Jake begins to pack up and leave, until Cole approaches him and informs him that he has requested more time from the disciplinary board in order to delay the hearing until after the final Brigades match. After some encouragement from the recovering Nance, Jake steps into the ring to fight Cole, lasting a full three rounds. Although Cole wins by decision, Jake's boxing ability earns him the respect of the entire Academy, as well as his father (who has come to see the fight despite being behind schedule on the current ship he is building).

At his subsequent hearing, the disciplinary board decides to retain Jake, based on Cole's recommendation. The class of 2008 celebrates the end of their Plebe year, while Jake and Ali finally express their mutual attraction openly. Jake approaches newly commissioned Second Lieutenant Cole to ask who would have won if the fight had continued, to which Cole challenges Jake to join the Marines to find out.