Described as "a coming-of-age drama that evolves into a crime thriller",<ref name=LizBraun></ref> the film begins with teenagers Jonas and Casey meeting, introduced by Casey's faithful dog Blaise. Jonas spends his days working on his father's cattle ranch in the Great Lakes region of North America; Casey and her father Wayne, a police sergeant, are the new neighbors. Wayne tries to quell the romance blossoming between Casey and Jonas. When Jonas sees Wayne hit Casey, Jonas and Wayne get into fight and Wayne threatens Jonas's life. Later, Jonas sees Wayne steal a large sum of money; Jonas takes the money from Wayne and he and Casey go on the lam, living outdoors and trying to stay one step ahead of Wayne and the authorities.