Plot
Quiet, twelve-year-old Rob Horton suffers from a strange, itchy rash on his legs that he knows is not contagious. He lives with his father in a Florida motel called the Kentucky Star. His father Robert, and Rob have recently moved to Lister, Florida, after the death of Rob's mother Caroline, to cancer six months prior.
Early one morning, before the school bus's arrival, Rob is walking in the woods and finds a caged tiger. Surprised, he hurries back to the motel to grab his bag to catch the school bus. On it, two bullies relently badger Rob. Directly after he gets on, a girl named Sistine Bailey (named after the Sistine Chapel) does as well, as she has recently moved nearby.
Rob has a flashback of him and his mother. She is showing him an art book, explaining the background behind Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel's ceiling and the painting technique.
Beuchhamo, Robert's and the cleaner Willy May's boss at the motel, is openly critical of both. He is not especially friendly to his motel guests either.
Sistine introduces herself to the class, who laugh at her name, unfamiliar with the famous Roman masterpiece. Angry, the Philadelphian insists she will not stay long in the ignorant South, as she assures them her father will save her shortly.
Rob has another flashback to Caroline. Although the cancer had started to take its toll, she taught him how to carve wood. This becomes Rob's other artistic talent, besides drawing.
At school, the principal calls Rob into his office. As some families have contacted him, fearing the boy's unusual skin condition on his legs might be contagious, he requests he stay out of school until it clears.
Rob sits outside of the school, waiting until the bus arrives, when recess starts. Two big girls start harassing Sistine, who fights back. When Rob speaks up in her defense, they go after him, but he runs.
On the bus later, Sistine inadvertently sits next to Rob. Soon she is ranting again about the ignorance of the people in the town, especially in reference to the origins of her name. Rob quietly demonstrates he knows, giving details of the fresco painted there. Sistine offers to bring him his homework assignments so he does not fall behind.
Robert tells Rob he had already explained his skin condition to the principal. Confirming the boy is willing to stay out of school for a few days, he gives him chores around the motel. Rob befriends the chambermaid Willie May, who suggests his skin condition might be caused by sadness.
When Sistine gets back from school, Rob shows her the tiger. He usually keeps his feelings locked away in an imaginary suitcase, but he begins to involuntarily open up emotionally to her. The bossy Sistine insists they let the caged tiger go, but Rob is wary of how Beachamp would react if he does.
Beachamp hires Rob to feed the tiger twice a day, as it intimidates him, so gives him the keys to the cage. Robert finds the meat, which has started to rot, but he does not explain it is for the tiger.
After showing Willie May the tiger, she tells Rob letting it free is not an option. However, he finally relents to Sistine and releases the tiger into the woods. However, just moments later, they hear a shot. Robert, who had been grappling with the armed Beauchamp, inadvertantlt shoots the tiger dead with the other's gun.
Rob then angrily attacks his father, telling him he wishes his father died instead of his mother. He also forces him to say his mother's name Caroline Horton, which he had forbidden him to say. After complying, they hug, Rob cries and the rash seems to have gone.
Sistine's anger also dissipates, she accepts her father is not coming for her, and her living here. In a voiceover, an adult Sistine says the lesson to be learned is some things are not meant to be locked up, but freed.
