The movie begins with 18-year-old Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega), residing independently in Tennessee while her parents are distant in India. Seeking connection, she finds it in her English teacher, Jonathan Miller (Martin Freeman).
Cairo’s only confidante is Winnie (Gideon Adlon), who pursues their coach, Boris (Bashir Salahuddin). When Cairo faces a Yale application question about her greatest achievement, Winnie suggests a daring essay on a student-teacher dynamic.
Miller is intrigued when Cairo reveals she’s read his sole publication. Despite marital distance with his wife Beatrice (Dagmara Dominiczyk), Miller is drawn to Cairo’s interest, leading to an intimate encounter.
Their relationship unravels when Cairo submits a story mirroring their affair, prompting Miller to end it abruptly. Cairo seeks vengeance by exposing their affair, leading to Miller’s job loss and his wife leaving him.
Years later, Miller visits Cairo at university, reflecting on their transformative impact and hinting at using their story for future writing endeavors. The film ends with this acknowledgment.