SYNOPSIS:

Charlie Akers set off on a day trip fishing for rainbow trout with his guide dog Beans and his father Andrew, in the rolling mountains of West Virginia. Charlie, who lost his sight due to Juvenile Diabetes at the age of two, lives a lonely and sheltered life, a life he chooses to live. Charlie’s only joy in life is when he interacts with Mother Nature. As a result of an accident on the job, Andrew has been let go by his employer and now oversees Charlie’s day to day activities. On the way to their favorite fishing-hole Andrew decides to take a shortcut, a shortcut that would change their lives forever. A harrowing crash sends their truck down a steep embankment. Andrew is severely injured while Charlie and Beans escape with minimal bumps and bruises. After a painful and sleepless night in the wilderness, Andrew decides the only way to survive is to send Charlie and Beans for help. Beans leads Charlie down to the river’s edge, which is where they meet T-Dub, a talking snapper-rapper turtle. T-Dub convinces Charlie to hop on board his shell and travel to the “magical” side of the river. T-Dub promises Charlie that things will be different and the help that Andrew desperately need will be available. Upon touching dry land on the other side of the river, Charlie magically regains his sight and Beans can speak. In fact, all the animals on the “magical” side of the river have the ability to speak. Through his adventurous and arduous mission to save his Pa, Charlie meets some interesting characters that help him overcome his flaws when he reciprocates, helping them to overcome theirs. Slick, a jazz singing mountain lion lacks patience, something that Charlie shares in common. Together they overcome that flaw. Lolly GooGoo, a pop song artist skunk, lacks self-esteem, another challenging flaw that Charlie and she overcome. Chicago, a blues singing bear experiences loneliness, a self-inflicted issue that haunts Charlie. All three animals are instrumental in helping Charlie become a man during his arduous trek. After meeting each animal, Charlie becomes more independent and considers staying on the “magical” side of the river where his vision will endure. Beans, a true friend, calls him out and a battle ensues. Flip Out, a bully coyote, stands in Charlie’s way at different junctures of his coming of age mission as Charlie struggles to achieve maturity. Charlie eventually grows up and does the right thing. His transformation from a woe-is-me social outcast to an I-can-do-it achiever is a positive shared experience that will serve as an effective role model for an appreciative audience.