In the competitive world of academia, a respected but weary writing professor finds his life and principles thrown into disarray. Stanley Tucci stars as Ted Swenson, whose own literary ambitions have faded into the comfort of tenure and routine. His predictable existence is upended when a talented and enigmatic student, Angela, played by Addison Timlin, submits a novel excerpt of shocking and provocative genius. As Ted becomes increasingly captivated by Angela's raw talent and her mysterious persona, the professional boundary between mentor and muse begins to dangerously blur. Directed by Richard Levine, this tense drama explores the perilous intersection of ambition, desire, and power, with supporting turns from Kyra Sedgwick as Ted's wife and Janeane Garofalo as a skeptical colleague. As Ted delves deeper into guiding Angela's work, he is forced to confront his own compromises and the intoxicating, potentially destructive, nature of inspiration itself.