The debut feature of Andrew Semans is a horror movie for academics. I don’t mean that it’s the kind of deep, intricate film art that will provoke coffeehouse discussions and term papers. I mean that it is a film that will strike terror into the hearts of academics, as well as anyone else in a job that depends on self-motivation.

Paul (Will Rogers, whose name couldn’t be more ironic given the plot) is a Yale graduate student. He has just moved in with his girlfriend Jen (Rebecca Lawrence) and is getting ready to hunker down and write his PhD dissertation on Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit. He just has to get his hardcover copy of it back from his ex-roommate Nancy (Elenore Hendricks). It seems he wrote lots of valuable notes there that he needs, but Nancy can’t be bothered to look for it.

Nancy is clearly an unreasonable character, but before too long it becomes clear that Paul is using her as an excuse for procrastination. And the more his faculty advisor starts to lean on him, the more of an excuse he needs to rely on. Paul’s growing obsession leads him into a fatalistic tailspin that can’t help make you shudder if you’ve ever turned on the TV while a deadline was staring you in the face.

Nancy, Please will be shown Saturday at 9:15pm and next Thursday, May 9 at 7:30pm, at the Screening Room in Williamsville.

Watch the trailer for Nancy, Please