Forty-year-old misanthrope, Guy Trilby (Jason Bateman), enters the National Golden Quill Spelling Bee through a loophole in the rules.

Fred Figglehorn is in love with Judy, who lives next door. But Kevin, the local bully, prevents Fred from seeing Judy until she moves out of town. So, Fred embarks on a quest to find her in the hope that his feelings will be reciprocated.