Captured at sea and confined in a small tank at an aquatic park, Willy (Keiko the orca whale) is an unhappy and unpredictable attraction. No one understands Willy - except a scruffy street kid named Jesse (Jason James Richter) - who knows what it's like to be without a family. Together these two form a special bond... one so strong that they're willing to risk it all to find a way home!