Somewhere in the wind-swept wheat fields near Moscow, Idaho, young Mason tries to escape his tense family life. His mother (Mare Winningham) and his reserved and distant father (Arliss Howard), who is running for city council, have a kess-than-wonderful marriage. Dinner time is always a touchy affair, especially when you throw in Mason's uncle, a Vietnam veteran who is still suffering from some kind of post-traumatic stress syndrome.

If Mason had any dreams, he would follow them. But instead he leads a hollow, teenaged existence with his best (and possibly only) friend Eddie. Along the way he meets Danny, a new girl in town who's a little bit different, and the two are instantly drawn to each other. But forces from all sides threaten this tender bond when a series of accidents and complications lead to tragedy that takes Mason away. When Mason returns, he and Danny find intense solace in each other. It's one of those once-in-a-lifetime loves than can change one forever.

More than a coming-of-age movie, Dandelion exudes an old-fashioned poetic realism. The performances are all top-notch, creating characters so believable that one can hardly distinguish that this is a film. Dandelion is an auspicious debut by director Mark Milgard, destined to put him on the cinematic map.
- adapted from the Cleveland International Film Festival program.