As a recent PhD in neurobiology from Córdoba, Argentina, Lupe (30) migrates to the USA after the new president cuts science funding. She lands a prestigious postdoc researching the effects of ketamine on the brains of depressed rats. A confident, independent feminist, Lupe arrives in New York determined to change the world. But her initial faith quickly fades. 

Despite the hurdles of immigration and apartment hunting, Lupe is thankful to be working in Leonardo’s lab. He’s a queer, eccentric scientist who advocates for diversity. He seems to like her work and ideas. Lupe works overtime and on the weekends. She befriends Aditi, a bold Indian woman in a wheelchair, and Clara, a shy American with cool vibes.

Lupe’s experiments go well. Leonardo pulls strings so she can present at the Society for Neuroscience. His harshness during rehearsals makes her anxious. But after the talk, a Nature editor approaches her. Leonardo is all smiles until she’s invited to an event he’s excluded from. There, he explodes. Although Leonardo apologizes afterwards, he starts subtly putting her down, praising Aditi and isolating Lupe. The belief that there’s only one spot for a woman in science creeps in. Her feminist ideals clash with her emotional spiral. Depression hits.

Lupe begins having nightmares of rats crawling over her, and hears squeaks in the streets. 

A brief relationship with a coworker, John, gives her hope but it doesn’t last. When Leonardo makes Aditi lead the paper Lupe worked hard on, she snaps and sends it to Nature with the order of names changed.

Everything collapses. 

Lupe tries podcasts, yoga, meditation but nothing helps. Desperate, she uses ketamine from the lab. Initially, it clears the fog. Then reality fractures. The rats follow her. She becomes her own experiment. She crashes Aditi’s dissertation, humiliates herself, and accuses Leonardo of favoritism. She wanders the city in a nightmare. An encounter with a Mexican delivery man makes her wonder what she’s looking for.

Just as she prepares to leave, Aditi forgives her. In that gesture, Lupe remembers: success isn’t recognition, it’s relationships, and her value is hers to define.