Will Brill stars as Doug, a bitter middle-school theatre teacher who stages an outrageous student musical about 9/11 to sabotage the principal who has won the affection of his colleague. The Sundance film uses deliberately provocative comedy to explore obsession, jealousy and revenge, while the children’s earnest performances add warmth and innocence to its deliberately offensive premise.

Brill says the story draws on his own experiences in children’s theatre and on the petty resentments of losing roles, opportunities or romantic attention. He argues that although Doug’s actions are clearly villainous, audiences may recognise the revenge fantasies behind them; he also acknowledges that incorporating 9/11 into a comedy was an especially audacious creative choice.