Genre

Synopsis

Frustrated middle-aged screenwriter Meg is an insomniac who eats her feelings, working at a grueling set job by day alongside her aspiring-painter best friend Casey, and staying up all night writing scripts to send to agents who never read them. Until one does! Ambitious agent Edward says he can’t sell her scripts, but suggests she jump-start her career by writing a novel. The same day Meg’s discontent boils over and gets her fired, ambitious agent Edward invites her to meet…to tell her screenplays won’t sell. But, he asks, has she ever tried writing a novel? With Hollywood constantly looking for IP, he thinks a bestseller could be her — and maybe his — best chance at success. Meg turns for advice to Denyse, a former film school classmate turned wildly successful trashy romance novelist. But their boozy meet-up at Denyse’s fabulous penthouse opens old wounds, spiraling Meg into a rage that explodes into a slap that kills Denyse. Suddenly, Meg’s desperation becomes inspiration: she feverishly devises a cover-up of the crime, then writes all of it into a bestselling novel. She even gets Edward to let Casey design the cover. When the book is a hit, Meg wants to publish something more literary, but Edward says that first, she has to write a follow-up. Blocked again, Meg goes to a party with Casey, hoping to reconnect with Max, a former crush. She does, but when her fame takes the spotlight away from him, drunk Max turns violent, sending Meg into another murderous rage explosion. She’s able to make Max’s death look like an accident — a but true-crime podcaster who’s obsessed with Meg sees her leaving the scene of the crime. When Meg writes a smash new novel about the murder, the podcaster goes to the cops, but when they question Meg, Edward provides an alibi. As her success grows, the pain of what Meg’s done spirals her into pills, booze, and nightmares. Desperate to be happy, she tells Edward she'll get a new agent if he doesn’t publish her literary novel. When Edward refuses, promising to keep her secret if she keeps killing and writing, Meg murders Edward. Ten years later, Meg seems to have it all -- thanks to continuing to murder people and write about it. Casey is the one person who knows the truth about Meg, and loves and supports her anyway — helping Meg to accept that murder is, just as Edward said, her true talent.