On his 18th birthday, Pip Anders (Paul Anthony) receives an audiotape from his deceased grandfather, Jason (voiced by Ian McKellen) -- who retells the story of his fight for survival at age 18 during World War II. The tape inspires Pip to embark on a soul-searching quest for identity. Having endured his own brand of hardship on the streets and finding parallels with his grandfather's ordeal, Pip turns to a local priest (Alan Cumming) for help.