Based on a Wattpad literary sensation with 25.5 million online “reads,” “Float” sounds like it should do more than just tread water. But I’m afraid that’s all it does, in both narrative and romantic terms. Set in Canada, the film is all about dislocation. Waverly (Andrea Bang, “Kim’s Convenience”) is a person with parents from Taipei. She has somehow more or less raised herself in Canada, while her interfering parents, whom she has not seen in four years, try to boss her around by phone.

On her way to Toronto to begin studying medicine, Waverly stops in the town of Holden to see her Auntie Rachel (Michele Krusiec, TV’s “Hollywood”), who is the local go-to artist for signs, portraits and other art. A cute kid (Haven Markus) plays guitar in the street and sings about pickles. A tall hunk named Blake (Robbie Amell, TV’s “The DUFF”) lives conveniently next door, where he cuddles chickens in his backyard.

In quick succession at a local watering hole, we meet owner-operator Lena (Rukiya Bernard, TV’s “Yellowjackets”), who is very pregnant and married to Van (Ghazal Azarbad). Lena’s brother Jesse (Andrew Bachelor, “TV’s “Black-ish”) has his eye on Waverly. But at a nearby waterfront, Waverly gets knocked into the water during a tussle with Blake’s rebellious teenage sister Isabel (Sarah Desjardins, “Yellowjackets”), and Waverly does not come up. Blake, a lifeguard (again convenient), dives in and retrieves the attractive young newcomer. Talk about “meet cute” (and wet).

Directed by Sherren Lee (TV’s “Kim’s Convenience”), who also co-wrote the screenplay, making her feature film debut, and based on that viral Wattpad story by Kate Marchant, “Float” is certainly light enough to avoid sinking, and thanks to a talented and likable cast it grows on you. Bang and Amell are not exactly a perfect match. He has a Clint Eastwood like stolidity. Blake just wants to be the best older brother-pseudo parent he can be for troubled teen Isabel (their parents died in a boating accident, we are told). I swear I won’t say, “convenient,” again. You may.

But, “Can I meet your chickens,” is not a pickup line you hear everyday. The small talk may be sub-atomic. But you care what happens to these people. Of course, Blake offers to teach Waverly to swim. Thus, she and her aunt go shopping for bathing suits. The black one-piece soon disappears to be replaced by cute and colorful two-pieces. Rachel observes that she gave up her “biological family” for a “logical family.” Oh, right.

In a “Simpsons”-ready epiphany, Waverly wonders, “Why am I so scared of the deep end?” She wants to become a family doctor to help people to “be heard.” Oy. In an awkward moment, Blake refers to his and Waverly’s relationship as “a summer fling.” Sweetie, we are all afraid of the deep end.

(“Float” contains mature themes, profanity and brief drug use)

“Float”

Rated PG-13. On VOD

Grade: B