Loosely based on a real incident that took place at the University of Iowa in 1991, this drama tells the story of a brilliant Chinese student who reacts violently when his academic dreams are dashed. Ye Liu stars as Liu Xing, a highly gifted student from a poor family in Beijing who wins a scholarship to study cosmology with his long-time idol, world-renowned professor Jacob Reiser (Aidan Quinn). As he works on the scientific theory that he hopes will someday bring him a Nobel Prize, he finds his efforts to get his PhD published blocked by the powers of academia. Meryl Streep co-stars as Liu's benefactress Joanna Silver.