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The story begins in 1982 at an elementary school, where a young squirrel named Dale is excited to make new friends but finds himself ignored by his classmates. To gain attention, he pretends to injure his eye, which elicits tears from the other children. However, Chip, a fellow squirrel, chooses to sit with him, and the two quickly become inseparable friends. Their bond strengthens as they navigate school talent shows and eventually achieve their shared dream of becoming actors in California.