Roy Eberhardt (Logan Lerman) has moved so often he has lost track of how many times he has changed schools. After moving from Montana to Florida's Gulf Coast, he befriends Beatrice (Brie Larson) and her brother. The siblings show Roy their hideaway, where they secretly take care of a flock of wild owls. When they learn that a restaurant will be built where the owls live, the three decide to enlist the help of a local policeman (Luke Wilson) to save the birds.