In the 1990s, in Lijiawa Village in northern China, Wang Mantun, the village's number-one lazybones, takes on the job of running the village film projection team because he wants to earn work points. At his first screening, he accidentally loads the wrong film reel. Facing the prospect of embarrassing himself in front of everyone, he improvises a voice-over and commentary on the spot, winning the villagers' enthusiastic approval instead. Despite the village Party secretary's doubts and strict rules, Wang Mantun relies on his down-to-earth style and quick thinking to win the villagers' collective support. Not only does he save the projection team, but he also turns outdoor movie screenings into the most popular entertainment activity across the surrounding villages.