Martin (Ian Hart) has barely eked out a living on wind-swept farm in Yorkshire, England. He and his stern mother (Gemma Jones) cherish the thought of Johnny (Josh O'Connor) taking over the homestead. But they do not think he has the discipline, the love of the land, or the perseverance that is required to take care of the animals.
Aware of these negative feelings about him, Johnny is an angry young man who escapes into binge drinking at the pub followed by random gay sex with strangers. Since his friends have gone away to college, this young man is also burdened with loneliness. While he is away from his duties, a pregnant cow dies while giving birth and his father orders him to put the half-dead calf out of its misery.
Convinced that his irresponsible son cannot handle all the work during lambing season, Martin hires Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu), a Romanian migrant worker. He is not only a hard and skilled worker but a man who possesses a tenderness towards animals.
In a scene illustrating the beauty of acts of mercy, Gheorghe skins a dead lamb and wraps its coat around a runt who is then warmly accepted by the bereaved mother. This quiet and soft-spoken man also takes the time to appreciate the harsh beauty of the landscape. His approach to the animals and his surroundings contrasts with Johnny's, but the farmer begins to take notice.
God's Own Country marks the feature film debut of writer and director Francis Lee and it slowly unfolds the love affair between Johnny and Gheorghe. Although neither verbalize the charges they set off in one another, they connect in ways that are beyond words.
The gritty, messy, and tedious details of farm work are evident throughout this film. But another impression emerges as these characters go through changes. God's Own Country spells out the wonders that beauty holds for those who have eyes to see and a heart to feel.