Jack is a precocious chimp who has been in a university
study environment for the last three years. His kindly caretaker, Dr. Kendall
(LOMAX STUDY), has devoted much time and energy to achieve his dream of
teaching Jack, a genius with a propensity for goofing around, to communicate
fully with humans. But with his retirement just around the corner, his grant
money depleted and his research with Jack considered a failure by the
university, Dr. Kendall has made arrangements for Jack to be sent back to the
El Simian Nature Preserve, where his family resides. Dr Kendall's colleagues,
however, have a different plan for Jack. Unbeknownst to him, they've sold Jack
to a research facility where he'll be an unwilling participant in medical
experiments.
But Darren (RUSSELL FERRIER), the friendly janitor at the
university - and Jack's best friend - has a plan of his own. On the day that
Jack is scheduled for transfer to the research facility, Darren sneaks him out
of the building and onto a train bound for the Nature Preserve. Unfortunately,
Jack misses his stop and finds himself in the small Canadian town of Nelson,
British Columbia.
Lost in a snowy, cold and foreign land, Jack makes his
way to a treehouse in the woods, where he is discovered by a young deaf girl
named Tara (JAMIE RENÈE SMITH) and her brother, Steven (KEVIN ZEGERS). They,
too, are newcomers to Nelson and instantly befriend Jack. Steven, a skilled
hockey player, dreams of someday being drafted by the NHL. He realizes that the
chances of this happening are slim while he's playing for the Nuggets, Nelson's
lousy Junior B team.
Tara, who is crazy for her new best friend, teaches Jack
to ice skate, and that's when the real hilarity begins - especially when Jack
comes to the team's rescue during a tough game and scores the tying goal. When
Steven, his team's coach (RICK DUCOMMUN) and his teammates see what a
powerhouse Jack is on skates, they immediately recruit him as the newest member
of the Nuggets. With Jack's help, the Nuggets make it to the Junior B
championships in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The Nuggets are playing their hearts out at the
championship game when the cold-hearted Dean from the research facility shows
up with a court order to claim Jack. But Steven, Tara and the team are one step
ahead of Dr. Peabody (OLIVER MUIRHEAD) and his accomplice. With the
championship on the line and the Dean in the wings, Tara sneakily switches
places with Jack during the final, tense minutes of the game. As Steven
transports Jack - dressed as Tara - to the airport to board a plane headed for
the Nature Preserve, Tara - playing as Jack - scores the winning goal. All's
well that ends well as Dr. Peabody's plan is foiled, the Nuggets win a
well-deserved championship, and Jack is reunited with his family.