Moss sends a carefully crafted letter to Gacy (William Forsythe) in prison, portraying himself as a vulnerable, sexually confused boy.

The letter is an intricate plan to get inside Gacy's head in hopes of uncovering new information regarding his murders that will aid Moss in writing a standout term paper.

The film unfolds as Gacy, suspicious at first, puts Moss through intense emotional tests via letters and collect calls, all of which leads to strained relationships with his girlfriend and family.

Meanwhile, Jason grows increasingly paranoid and aggressive under Gacy's influence; he inflicts a savage beating on a classmate who had been bullying his younger brother, and hires a prostitute with the intent of assaulting her, stopping himself only at the last moment.

The film based on the real-life story of Jason Moss, who as a college student attending UNLV, corresponded with five prominent serial killers on death row in an attempt to determine if there was more to be learned if one was to impersonate their typical victims or act as an ardent admirer.

[1] The focus of the film is Moss' interaction with John Wayne Gacy (convicted of murdering 33 young men and boys), with whom he developed the strongest relationship.