Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a child in the New Zealand foster care system who has frequently run away or been let go by other foster homes, is taken in by Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her husband Hector (Sam Neill). Though Hector remains distant from Ricky, interested only in hunting, Ricky grows close to Bella. When Bella suddenly dies, Hector is informed that Ricky will be re-located by state services, represented by the agent Paula Hall (Rachel House).
Not wanting to return to the foster care system, Ricky sloppily fakes his own death while burning down Hector and Bella's shed and runs off into the bush. Hector goes after Ricky, and in the process, injures his ankle. The two are forced to remain in the bush until Hector's ankle heals. Meanwhile, Paula finds the wreckage at Bella and Hector's farm and assumes that Hector has kidnapped Ricky, launching a nationwide manhunt for the pair.
After a period of time, Hector's ankle has mostly healed, and the two find a hut in the bush. They see their pictures in a newspaper article about the manhunt before they are suddenly discovered by three hunters returning to the hut. Hector and Ricky manage to escape - but, due to Ricky's innocent and ignorant nature, he accidentally portrays Hector as a molester, causing his reputation to be harmed. The manhunt intensifies and Ricky becomes nationally recognised.
While wandering around together, Ricky and Hector warm up to each other, with Ricky telling Hector about his fears and anxieties concerning the foster care system. When they find an empty hut again for more supplies, they find a man in insulin shock. Hector remains with the man whilst Ricky goes down to a nearby town for help. He finds Kahu (Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne), who he is smitten with, and after pictures with her father and a song sung by her at night he accidentally falls asleep. Upon returning to the hut, he discovers the hut surrounded by police led by Paula. When met with Paula at a ravine she tries to bribe him, asking him to say that Hector was a sex offender in return for not going to juvenile detention. However, he declines and catches up with Hector. Hector's reputation has improved for helping the ill man, as the media changes their view of him.
When they are reunited, however, they rob the same hunters as before, causing his public image to decline again. Later, Hector and Ricky are attacked by a wild boar. In the attack, Hector's dog, Zag, is wounded, forcing Hector to euthanise his dog via shooting. After his burial, Ricky reveals that he has carried Bella's ashes in a container the whole time. They scatter Bella's ashes into a waterfall high in a mountain range.
A man named Psycho Sam (Rhys Darby) who is living on his own is discovered by Ricky and Hector. Sam permits their overnight stay. After five months of survival in the wild and numerous near misses, they are eventually apprehended after a car and chopper chase, and Ricky unintentionally shoots Hector.
Hector is sent to jail for around a year, whilst Ricky stays with Kahu and her family. After his release, they reunite and continue their life of adventure.
