The story is set at the end of the 1980s in a northern working-class district of Dublin. Jimmy Rabbitte, a young unemployed man in his twenties, loves only one music style, soul. He dreams of making that music popular in Ireland.

 

When his two friends, guitarist Outspan Foster and bassist Derek Scully, are thrown out of their partying music group, he gets the idea to form a soul band. But he cannot sing or play an instrument. Yet he decides to hold auditions. Through advertisements, all kinds of candidates present themselves until he finally finds a singer, three background singers and an older experienced trumpet player suitable. Gradually the band, which is named The Commitments, is supplemented with a few other instrumentalists.

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After a slowly winding course, The Commitments manage to find their way to success.