Barkley Michaelson is a disgruntled graduate student at a prestigious university, struggling to make a name for himself in the shadow of his father, Eli Michaelson, a celebrated chemistry professor who has just won the Nobel Prize. Barkley is resentful of his father's success and the fact that he has never really been there for him, emotionally or financially.
One day, Barkley is kidnapped by Thaddeus James, a brilliant young man who claims to be Barkley's half-brother and the illegitimate son of Eli Michaelson. Thaddeus is bitter and angry, having grown up in poverty while Eli Michaelson enjoyed wealth and acclaim. Thaddeus lays out a plan to extort millions of dollars from Eli, using Barkley as the key to the scheme.
As Barkley is dragged into Thaddeus's twisted world of deceit and criminality, he begins to realize the truth about his own past and the secrets that his father has been keeping from him. He must choose between helping Thaddeus carry out his plan or turning him over to the authorities and facing the consequences.
The film is a darkly comic thriller with a strong cast including Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Mary Steenburgen, and Danny DeVito. It explores themes of family, ambition, and the corrupting influence of wealth and power.