Tormented by violent thoughts, business student Liam McKay turns to day trading, only to descend into a dangerous world of money, paranoia, and self-destruction. 

SYNOPSIS:

Liam McKay, a seemingly ordinary business student, harbors a dark secret: intrusive thoughts so disturbing he’s driven to the brink of suicide. With the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Andrews, Liam recounts the events that led to his breaking point.

At a frat party, just as Liam is about to hook up with Maya Hill—the girl he likes—he’s struck by a harrowing thought: choking her to death. Horrified, he abruptly leaves without an explanation. Despite his inner struggles, Liam convinces Maya to give him another chance. Alone in her dorm, he reveals that he lost his father to ALS, deepening their connection—until his intrusive thoughts resurface and ruin the moment.

Fearing the worst, Liam visits the campus clinic. The doctor prescribes him Xanax, attributing his symptoms to stress, but instead of taking it, he begins trading stocks as a coping mechanism. Soon, his roommate, Kyle Stafford, finds out and persuades him to combine their life savings, fueling Liam’s destructive behavior.

Slowly but surely, Liam is consumed by trading, alienating himself, and neglecting his studies. Meanwhile, Tesla stock skyrockets—just as Kyle predicted—costing them thousands in potential earnings. Disappointed, they go to a club, where Liam meets an escort grappling with her own demons. Together, they take ecstasy, searching for an escape. Haunted by hallucinations of Maya, Liam shows up at her dorm unannounced and makes a fool of himself when she rejects him.

Spiraling out of control, Liam resorts to Adderall to cram for a midterm, exacerbating his intrusive thoughts. Terrified, he gambles everything he and Kyle have on Tesla call options and fails the exam. Concerned, Maya urges Liam to talk to someone, but he lashes out, insisting he’s fine.

Days before their Tesla options expire, an outlandish tweet from Elon Musk crashes the stock, wiping Liam and Kyle out in the process. Desperate, Liam sells a cherished necklace his father gave him and risks it all on one last trade. In over his head, the stock tanks, leaving him penniless.

Devastated, Liam overdoses on the Xanax and wakes up in the ER. Frightened and confused, he accidentally hits a nurse and is sedated. He reawakens in the psychiatric ward with his mom by his side, assuring him that everything will be okay. Moments later, he meets Dr. Andrews for the first time.

In retrospect, Liam realizes that his intrusive thoughts don’t define him—they are merely symptoms of OCD. With this newfound clarity, he returns to school, mends his friendship with Kyle, and promises to pay him back… eventually. On his way to class, Liam bumps into Maya and asks if they can talk sometime. Knowing what he’s been through, she agrees.

DIAMOND HANDS