Souls can be extracted and traded as commodities. An actor named Paul Giamatti agonizes over his interpretation of 'Uncle Vanya.' Paralyzed with anxiety, he stumbles upon a solution via a New Yorker article about a high-tech company promising to alleviate suffering by deep-freezing souls. Paul enlists their services, intending to reinstate his soul once he survives the performance. Complications ensue when a mysterious, soul-trafficking mule borrows Giamatti's stored soul for an ambitious, but unfortunately talentless, soap-opera actress. Now Paul is rendered soulless and is left with no choice but to follow the trail back to St. Petersburg.