Nancy (Andrea Riseborough) is an aspiring writer and a practiced liar. Weaving fiction, on or off the page, allows her a temporary escape from the dreariness of life in her wintry Northeastern town, where she looks after her scowling, ailing mother (Ann Dowd) and works as a temp in a dental office. Her stories have been read only by editors at publications like the Paris Review, who have sent back a steady stream of rejection letters. Her lies, at least, ensure her a few moments with a captive audience.