Plot Summary

After her boyfriend is arrested, Jolene Reedy (Charlize Theron) is evicted from her home and left with nowhere to go. Desperate for help, she turns to her brother James (Nick Stahl), a man she deeply trusts, asking him to shelter both herself and her 11-year-old daughter Tara (Anna Sophia Robb) in his modest rental apartment.

Soon after moving in, Jolene abruptly leaves with another man, abandoning Tara behind. Completely unprepared to take care of a child on his own, James struggles to cope with the sudden responsibility. Though emotionally fragile and financially unstable, he does his best to comfort his distressed niece and create a sense of safety for her.

As pressures mount, James’s life begins to unravel. He loses his job, and the threat of Tara being taken into the child welfare system becomes imminent. Faced with the possibility of losing her, James makes a decision that will reshape both of their lives.

Determined to confront his past, James takes Tara with him to Utah, returning to the family farm where he spent his childhood. His return reopens long-buried wounds with his estranged father (Dennis Hopper), forcing James to confront unresolved pain, guilt, and resentment.

In this unexpected turning point, James gradually assumes the role of a father figure Tara has never known. What begins as reluctant responsibility evolves into a profound sense of purpose, transforming both their lives. Sleepwalking is a quiet, emotionally grounded drama about broken families, redemption, and the fragile bonds that emerge when people choose to stay rather than walk away.