Three teenagers, each feeling the squeeze to conform by their schools, family, and society, join forces to go on their own adventure, a cross-country road trip to watch the first space shuttle launch, that changes each of them profoundly.

SYNOPSIS:

Spring Break of Senior Year at a small high school, and everyone's babbling about what they'll do and how. A lone student, KURT HAHN, picks a car lock in the parking lot, revealing both this esoteric skill and a certain reluctant willingness to help people. GENE BARSHOFSKY's a very smart student more interested in space travel and adventure than his own grades. LISA MARSH is at her mother's wake, cleaning up a lifetime of debris, and discovering a series of letters her mother had been keeping hidden.

Back in school, Gene runs the Shop Gauntlet to call a favor from Kurt, a serious motorhead. Gene wants them to drive cross-country to watch a space shuttle launch. Kurt refuses – the favor is too old and besides, he has plans. Dejected, Gene leaves.

Kurt arrives home to an abusive stepfather just released from prison, who clearly bears a grudge. Gene's home life, while not so violent, is equally oppressive – his parents simply can't connect with him and his father is planning for Gene's career already – despite Gene's refusal to participate.

As Gene is about to give up his dream, Kurt, beaten by his stepfather, taps at the window, insisting that if they're going to go, it's now or never. After a hurried argument, Gene leaves a note, and he and Kurt depart. Lisa, under the shadow of night, sneaks out of her house and starts her own journey.

Early the next morning, all three meet during breakfast at a restaurant and Lisa, believing she is being pursued by the police, smuggles out in Kurt's back seat.

En route, they decorate Kurt's car with a dinosaur, symbolizing freedom and adventure. Lisa shops for clothes and transforms her look from a clone of her mother to her own self, and Kurt tries teaching Gene about the details of the car.

Kurt and Gene decide to not tell Lisa why they are driving to Florida, and she senses this deception.

During the trip, Lisa asks Kurt if he'll be intimidating while she breaks up with a soon-to-be-ex. Kurt doesn't appreciate being thought of as "tough."

Despite the fact that the boys aren't telling her why they're traveling, Lisa confesses that she had been raised to think her father was dead, and only now realizes he is alive. She plans to meet him.

Lisa's breakup seems to go well, but she worries she's made an enemy.

At a car wash, they make a new friend with the attendant, who asks them to attach a totem to their car for him as well.

The next day, they stop at a sandwich shop and are startled to discover that their fame has preceded them. Their sandwiches are on the house and the cashier wants to add to the menagerie on the hood of the car.

Quickly, they become a Phenomena, and are regularly approached by other teens with various totems. Even in the dead of night, things are attached to their car. It's entertaining at first, but starts to freak them out a little. Strangers know about them, they hear people talking about them on radio talk shows, etc., but it's all very mysterious.

On a hot day in the heart of Texas, they have car trouble, but their fame grants them access to a secret underground network of teens, which help them across the nearby border, where the local sheriff has erected a roadblock.

That afternoon, they catch themselves being talked about on the news, and at the same time, Gene's parents realize – by watching the same national show – that their son is NOT out camping with friends.

The evening finds them in New Orleans, where Lisa and Gene, a little drunk and far from home, fall into each other's arms, while Kurt sleeps in the car, in an attempt to catch people sticking things on it.

The next morning, Kurt freaks out to discover Gene and Lisa slept together. He and Lisa have a screaming match and she storms out.

The boys have to sneak away from the motel – during the night, Gene's parents put a stop on his credit card.

As the boys continue their journey, Lisa makes it to her father's house and introduces herself to him and meets his new family. It's an awkward situation, and no one has certain answers why Lisa's mother refused to let him exist for Lisa.

Only half a day from their destination, Kurt's car is stolen and they are forced to "borrow" a motorcycle. It soon runs out of gas and their tempers finally snap and they start fighting, only to be picked up by a passing cop who recognizes them.

When it seems certain they'll miss the launch, they are rescued at the last minute by the teen underground from Texas, led by Lisa, who was contacted by the teen leader, a young man named JONAH. Jonah had been following them ever since Texas.

Reunited with their car, they manage to follow directions enough to lose pursuit, but it's critical for them to ditch the car, which is now a well-known rolling museum.

They steal a roach coach, don uniforms, and manage to bluff their way through several layers of security at Cape Canaveral, carrying trays of doughnuts and coffee.

Finally, in the busy control room, they are found out. At the last minute, they successfully offer advice that helps with a last minute glitch on the launch, but they are still ejected – much to the dismay of most of the staff (who can't help but enjoy helpful science-oriented kids bearing doughnuts and coffee).

Although they are certain they will not see the launch, their security escort instead leads them to the roof, where they finally witness what they've traveled across the country for – a genuine space shuttle launch, beautiful and powerful, and mind-blastingly fantastic.