Troubled Cesar is stuck in nowhere Alaska because his Eskimo mother has moved home where she hopes both of them can carve out a fresh start. He's just biding his time until he can return to L.A., but his off-beat cousin Go-boy is convinced Cesar will stay, so they make a wager. If Cesar is still in Unalakleet in a year, he has to get a copy of Go-Boy's Eskimo Jesus tattoo. Gradually Cesar discovers the power of friendship and the potential positive strength that springs from a tight-knit community.