Earnest, small-town Lawrence Campbell is determined to escape a life of intellectual poverty. He is fascinated by his charismatic and uncompromising poetry professor, Jim Arsenault. Jim's magnetic personality soon draws Larry's entire poetry composition class into his orbit, and the group begins hanging out together. Larry is delighted to be singled out for Jim's attention, not thinking about what Jim expects from their increasingly close relationship. Over time, Larry becomes disillusioned as his narcissistic, hard-drinking idol spins out of control.