The creators of Sleepwalking must have been doing just that while they produced this film. The story of a 12-year-old girl dealing with the abandonment of her mother, the film never takes off and, at nearly two hours long, severely drags. Suggestion: Skip Sleepwalking altogether and take a nap.

Tara (AnnaSophia Robb) has had to grow up fast, moving around a lot with her bit-of-a-slut, irresponsible and selfish mother, Joleen (Charlize Theron). At age 12, Tara’s already seen too much. But she is obviously still young and wants desperately to be a kid. She’s not ready to accept the life that’s been dealt to her. She’s conniving enough to try to get what she wants, a tactic that works time and time again with her pushover uncle, James (Nick Stahl).

James lets Joleen and Tara stay with him when they are kicked out of yet another house after Joleen’s live-in boyfriend is busted for growing pot. But Joleen takes off, leaving James overwhelmed as he struggles to care for Tara. James has no life, no money and, soon after Joleen’s disappearance, no job. He has no idea what’s going on — not even in his own life. Although he genuinely wants to do what’s best for Tara, he has nothing going for himself and is not equipped to care for her. The last person ready to care for a child, he is the only person in Tara’s life willing to do so.

After a stint in foster care, James takes Tara on the road, and the two pose as father and daughter. During their wandering road trip, while avoiding the Amber Alert for Tara, the unlikely pair develops a relationship that offers each of them just what they need. Their dynamic works since neither requires a lot. Tara is allowed to plan things the way she wants to help her deal with the abandonment of her mother and James is given some purpose in life. Out of money, and without an end destination in sight, they eventually head to James’ father’s farm where he and Joleen grew up, were abused and eventually ran away from.

The movie is slow and boring. The entire time, the audience is expecting something to happen — some grand event to take place, some family secret to surface — but there is never anything more than what was originally presented. The kids had a tough time growing up with their abusive father, and they’re still struggling as they try to figure out how to live their adult lives. Great — who isn’t? Where is the depth of the members of this family in turmoil? What will it take for these characters to wake up and take responsibility for the lives they’re leading?

While there is finally one dramatic action, there’s barely time to process it, for the audience members or the characters in the film, before they pick up and take off again.

We never learn why Joleen leaves, nor do we have any insight into what has changed, prompting her overdue return. The film is desperately missing the development of curiosity about the characters and the creation of suspense, bringing the audience in and generating wonder about how things would play out and where the characters would end up. Neither of the adults in Tara’s life (including the seasoned Theron) gives an entirely moving performance. In fact, Robb gives the best performance in the film by far. In one great scene at a hotel pool, Tara torments two young boys watching her as she roller skates around the pool and finally dives in, cigarette in hand. She finds the balance between a rough-edged hardened adolescent and a little girl who still needs someone, is still figuring things out and isn’t as strong as she sometimes pretends to be. While she is able to find some help from her Uncle James, she always really yearns for her mother, flaws and all — her face lights up every time there is a possibility her mother might show up.

Theron has played the down-and-out single mother multiple times before. In Sleepwalking, she is far from her best. For a character type she has depicted many times, she is unimpressive. She plays the part, but doesn’t add anything fresh or gripping to her character. Serving as producer to the film as well, perhaps being so close to the material does not work well for her, as she left a lot to be desired, both on and off screen.

Stahl portrays James as a dejected man, but the transition from a melancholy existence to an awakening, which his character proclaims takes place, never shines through. He has a few moments of strong acting, but the audience never quite gets the feeling that he is going through a real transformation. Even as he drives off into the sunset, it hardly seems plausible that James is ready to take life by the horns.

Sleepwalking leaves you waiting for something more. But it just isn’t going to happen. Accept it, move on and get a good night’s sleep.