Lance Clayton (played by Robin Williams) is a high school poetry teacher who dreams of one day becoming a famous writer while trying hopelessly to bond with his misanthropic, underachieving, mean-spirited teenage son Kyle (played by Daryl Sabara). His son dies in a freak masturbation accident, Lance writes a fake suicide note. The note becomes a hit and Lance, then, writes a journal, publishes it, claiming it was Kyle's. The book turns into a success and Lance gains all the fame and appreciation he wanted so much. But he realises that it wasn't exactly what would make him happy the most.