Bickford Shmeckler’s Cool Ideas

The film opens by introducing Bickford Shmeckler, a lonely college student who keeps a notebook called The Book filled with his philosophical ideas. A narrator hints that nothing can ever be truly understood, setting a thematic tone for the story. We see him alone in his dorm, writing and clinging to his thoughts.

During a loud toga party, The Book is stolen by Sarah Witt, a beautiful but reckless kleptomaniac. As she reads the writings, she experiences what she calls 'braingasms,' feeling power and inspiration from the ideas. Her theft triggers the central conflict of the story.

Sarah briefly meets Bickford but immediately shows him The Book to her boyfriend Trent, who grows jealous of the attention his partner gives to the manuscript. She jokes about wanting to meet the author and even have sex with him, revealing her whimsical fascination. The dynamics between the characters start to fray.

Bickford discovers The Book is missing and panics, frantically searching by interrogating his roommates. The loss intensifies his insecurity about his work and his place at college. The incident marks a turning point from quiet obsessions to urgent consequence.

Bickford tracks down Sarah at the school's art studio; she kisses him and explains that his writings inspired her paintings. This encounter shifts their relationship from academic curiosity to romantic tension. The moment deepens their emotional connection.

They go to Trent's dorm and discover that he discarded the book out of jealousy. The discovery underscores how The Book’s presence destabilizes relationships and social dynamics. The object becomes a catalyst for conflict among the trio.

A homeless man nicknamed Space Man finds The Book and becomes convinced that Bickford can free the 'extra-dimensionals' living in his head. He extorts Bickford, demanding something in exchange for the power he believes the book grants. The encounter introduces a surreal element to the plot.

Space Man's demands stall, and Bickford, overwhelmed, gives up trying to satisfy the delusion. The episode highlights how the book can destabilize ordinary life without delivering clear meaning. He withdraws from his earlier ambitions.

Owners of a local comic book store read The Book and fall in love with its ideas. They reprint it, distribute free copies, and even merchandise, giving the work a new, popular life. The book moves from a private notebook to a public phenomenon.

Sarah learns about the free distribution and informs Bickford, who is torn by the irony of his sudden popularity. Their conversation raises questions about authorship, ownership, and the meaning of the book for others. The dynamic between them grows more complicated.

Bickford confronts the store owners; frustrated that their newfound idolization of the book overrides his feelings, they return The Book to him. The gesture signals a shift in who 'owns' the work and what it represents. The act re-centers the book as a shared object rather than a personal trophy.

One of Bickford's professors, who has read The Book, arranges a publisher deal without his consent and it is heavily implied she expects a sexual favor. Under mounting pressure, Bickford confides in Sarah about his past: his mother's death in a car accident and his subsequent hospitalization. The confession grounds the book in personal trauma rather than abstract theory.

An insult from Sarah prompts him to realize that nothing in life can be truly understood. He adds a disclaimer to The Book urging readers to slow down and enjoy life amid its fleeting chaos. The shift reframes the work from a grand system to a humane philosophy.

Bickford returns The Book to the comic store owners and grants them permission to reprint and give it away, under the condition that it be free and no merchandise be created. He embraces a communal ownership model rather than a proprietary one. The book begins living beyond him as a shared artifact.

Bickford enters a romantic relationship with Sarah, experiences sex for the first time, and is inspired to write a new poem. The ending gestures toward a more hopeful, intimate future for both him and his ideas. The film closes on a note of renewed possibility and creative energy.