George Gattling is a man out of place in the world and out of placein his own skin. He lives with his divorced sister Precious and her 20 year-old autistic son Fred. He s also the unwitting case study of a life-gone-wrong for Betty a young psychology student who works at his shop. George seeks salvation in hawks. He dreams of capturing and training the noble birds of prey a passion he shares with Fred. After several years of failed attempts George and Fred capture the most magnificent bird they have ever seen - the red-tailed hawk. That night George experiences a tragedy greater than he s ever known. Grief stricken George sees in the hawk his only hope of survival - but his obsession with taming the bird may cost him what ever he has left.