Synopsis for
D.O.A. (1988) More at IMDbPro »

Dexter Cornell (Dennis Quaid) teaches English at a Texas College and his class-room lectures consist of his trying to stay above his own sarcasm and clear contempt for the youngsters he instructs. Once a promising novelist himself Dex churned out four books when he was married to his soon-to-be ex-wife Gail (Jane Kaczmarek) a sweet nurturing woman who has pushed Dex away because there is no more real bond between them. During this Christmas season Dex tells his friend and colleague Hal Petersham (Daniel Stern) about his ability to hold on to his tenure even though he hasnt published a book for a long time and as they say in Academe its either publish or perish. A very bright student Nick Lang (Robert Knepper) has given Dex his novel to read and Dex has put the young annoyingly intelligent student off partly because he isnt producing any writing himself. Hal thanks Dex for his help in outlining and structuring a novel that Hal needs to keep his professorship and during a drink to celebrate Lang falls off the roof and slams into the window before hitting the pavement below. In the aftermath Dex decides to actually read the novel he promised Lang he would read as some acknowledgement to the young mans ambition. Gail has served Dex his divorce papers and with all the seasonal angst Dex takes off for an evening of drinking to forget about his failed marriage, and the shock of a suicidal student when he meets up with Sydney Fuller (Meg Ryan) a pretty admiring student and the two spend the evening sampling many cocktails. The next day Dex has a stomach ache and believes it may be the result of a night of drinking and a case of the flu, but when he consults his doctor and realizes he has been given poison that will kill him in 24 hours and is compelled to track down the murderer before he dies.