Two high school seniors plot to steal cheat sheets from their professor in order to pass their finals; as they fumble their plan, they face a crossroads in their friendship.

SYNOPSIS:

Clark, a bright and quiet kid, and Benny, his forever scheming friend are two seniors who are both at risk of not graduating and failing their final year. After gaining some intel that their professor keeps cheat sheets for the final tests they cook up a plan to steal the exams at night by climbing through the vent system and dropping into his office. This experience is recounted by the two boys to their apathetic principal.

After a week of preparation, the big night finally comes. They carefully climb the vents late at night, from an entrance in the custodian's closet, as they peer into Professor Ballantine’s office, casing out the joint.

But all goes to hell when they look down and see him sitting there, working away the midnight oil listening to podcasts, and grading papers. We get a sense that his home life is rocky, and his office might be one of his only places of solace in his life.

When the professor finally leaves the room, Clark jumps down from the vent against Benny’s advice and makes it inside the small office. Benny stays in the vent, keeping watch, as he instructs Clark on where exactly to search in the file cabinets.

The moment Clark finds the cheat sheet the professor returns from the vending machine, Snickerbar in hand. Clark is caught red-handed. With nowhere to run, he confesses the whole thing. As Benny quietly maneuvers his way out of the vent system, until he is miraculously out of sight.

The professor (who is at first angry, almost violent) eventually takes pity on Clark and decides to tutor him one-on-one to help him pass the test properly. They talk about family, and school and establish a camaraderie together, that surprises them both.

The next day (during the test) Benny asks for his answers to the test, and Clark tells him what happened after he left, saying he didn’t bring the cheat sheet he just studied all night.

Benny is furious, as he has no backup plan to pass the test. He lashes out at Clark, and eventually, Professor Ballantine gets security to take Benny away, escorting him out of class. Clark is a bit heated as well, but Ballentine helps him to calm down.

He feels in this moment that Benny is simply using him rather than being concerned for his well-being. After he cools down, Clark takes the final exam.

The next day we learn that Benny has been suspended. Clark goes over to pay a visit to Benny at his house, which has seldom happened before. Almost always when they would hang out it would be at Clark’s house.

He sees that Benny’s home life is hell. His father is a raging drunk and his mother is a hoarder. Benny is surprised to see Clark there, and a bit ashamed about his living situation, so he and Benny go for a walk around the neighborhood.

As they sit at a park together, Benny eventually apologizes, admitting that he overreacting and has just been stressed and not acting like himself lately.

Clark accepts the apology and pulls out the cheat sheet that Benny had been after this whole time. Benny is surprised (and a bit pissed) that Clark has it with him, and Clark tells him that he stole it today just for him -- but he hadn't had it before the test.

As Benny looks the cheat sheet over, he eventually takes out a lighter and burns it…telling Clark he’d rather study and " do well or fuck up all-natural this time", so he can have something to "finally be proud of in his life". Clark is surprised by this move but supports his friend. Telling him he will help him study for the test too. Benny thanks him, saying in return he’ll show him where he stashes his beers in the park.

The film ends with Benny showing Clark all his secret “beer gardens” — which are in essence just beers tucked into random bushes around the park. Their friendship is restored, even if their high school future is still a bit unclear.