- While spending the summer in cottage country on the shores of Lake Superior, three teens cope with boredom by testing the limits of their experience.
- The Hudsons - husband and wife William and Linda, and their fifteen year old son Adam - are spending the summer, like they have the several recent past summers, at their cottage on the northwestern shore of Lake Superior. William and Linda are still trying to perpetuate them being the perfect family, which they have been able to do as Adam is still closer emotionally to childhood than he is to adulthood and still largely follows parental rules. However, William wants to be both Adam's father and best friend as he is encouraging Adam to pursue Taylor, a similarly aged girl Adam has known forever at the lake. Adam doesn't want to admit to anyone that he does like Taylor in that way, he justifying his non-action by not wanting to ruin their friendship. This summer for the first time, Adam hangs out with cousins Riley and Nate, who are a little rougher around the edges than him. They are spending the summer with their permissive grandmother, Riley living with her permanently since the death of his parents. Riley and Nate's relationship is characterized by roughhousing, smoking (both cigarettes and weed), petty theft, hazing type rituals such as vandalism, and oneupmanship in the form of dares in feats of what they see as masculinity. Adam gets caught up in their life, with William's blessing in wanting again to act the friend, although Adam does consider Riley a true friend, the more sensitive one, as opposed to Nate who is all teen bravado. Adam has reason to be drawn more to the cousins than to his parents this summer, in him discovering that his family is less than perfect. However, as Adam tries to be who everyone wants him to be, he may have to grow up quickly without that true responsible guidance to show him the way.—Huggo
- Teenager Adam is spending his summer vacation with his parents on rugged Lake Superior. His dull routine is shattered when he befriends Riley and Nate, smart aleck cousins who pass their ample free time with debauchery and reckless cliff jumping. The revelation of a hurtful secret triggers Adam to set in motion a series of irreversible events that test the bonds of friendship and change the boys forever.
In this feature debut, director Andrew Cividino ushers us into a visually and emotionally rich universe, drawing complex, naturalistic performances from his young actors. The film deals extensively with themes of death, masculinity, as well as adolescent perceptions of love, friendship and sexuality. Sleeping Giant portrays a summer filled with euphoric moments as well as difficult times. The relationship between the boys is never predictable, yet always feels authentic. There will never again be a summer so intensely felt, so alive, so valuable to the forming of their characters.
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