Eddie (Kentucker Audley) bumbles his way through an agonizing courtship with Irene (Eleonore Hendricks), a manipulating drifter who videotapes their fleeting moments together. To express his true feelings for her, he orchestrates his debut stand-up performance at the local comedy club. Bad Fever is a witness to one man's broken American dream and his eternal longing to find someone, anyone, who understands or even pretends to understand.