A shrewd young advertising executive gets recruited to help free Chile from the grip of dictator Augusto Pinochet in this historical drama set during a defining chapter in nation's history. The year is 1988. Pinochet has ruled Chile without challenge for nearly two decades, but all of this could soon change as the international community pressures the despot to hold a national election that will decide whether he retains his position for another eight years. Should the citizens vote "Yes," Pinochet will remain in power; should they vote "No," the country will elect a new leader. Though the population remains convinced that the election is fixed, the chance to enact change through peaceful means is too powerful to resist. In order to succeed, the opposition recruits bright young ad exec René Saavedra (Gael García Bernal) to create the daily, 15-minute television spots that will help to ensure a "No" vote. But Saavedra knows that if the citizens stay home during the elections the "Yes" vote will certainly win, and focuses as much on getting cynical Chileans to the polls as he does promising them a brighter future. Meanwhile Lucho Guzmán (Alfredo Castro), Saavedra's intimidating counterpart on the "Yes" campaign, does everything in his power to shut down the "No" vote. With the fate of an entire nation hanging in the balance of the outcome, however, Saavedra braves intimidation and death threats in order to ensure his country will be freed from the grip of tyranny.