Emily Blunt portrays Liza Drake, a composite character embodying various figures from Hughes's book. Liza, a single mother from Florida working as a stripper, is offered a job by the charismatic sales rep, Pete Brenner, played by Chris Evans. As Liza becomes an essential part of the company, she recruits doctors into the speaker program, contributing to the company's rapid growth, until her conscience begins to weigh on her.