Leaving a mental hospital for the second time, Jake returns to his hometown of Lake Placid amidst the frenzy leading up to the 1980 Winter Olympics.
His best friend Barney fell to his death while building condos to house the tourists attending the games. Conscious of the privilege and wealth surrounding the international competitions, Jake is confronted by the stigma that surrounds mental illness, compounded by the stigma of poverty.
Meaningful relationships elude him as he struggles with mortality. Laurie, his high school sweetheart, offers comfort and understanding. She reckons with her past as Jake contemplates his future. Mortality and impermanence tangle his thoughts. As the Americans take on the Russians in the iconic hockey game, Jake and Laurie's story reaches its climax.
In the internal cacophony and external chaos, Jake finds his center in a deep knowing that peace lies within.