Fear of Rain 2021

Rain Burroughs, a 17-year-old artist struggling with the debilitating effects of early-onset schizophrenia, finds herself hospitalized after a severe psychotic episode. As she navigates her treatment with the help of her therapist, Rain reveals that she’s been neglecting her medication due to its stifling impact on her creative expression. Her parents, Michelle and John (Katherine Heigl and Harry Connick Jr), are steadfast in their support, but the cruel reality of Rain’s situation is soon revealed when she returns to school only to be ostracized by former friends who mock her mental illness.

In a small act of kindness, a new student named Caleb (Israel Broussard) takes notice of Rain and they begin to form an unlikely bond. However, Rain’s fragile grip on reality begins to slip as she’s plagued by vivid dreams and visions. One fateful night, she sees her teacher, Ms. McConnell (the next-door neighbor), dancing with a young child in a hauntingly vivid tableau. Waking up, Rain becomes convinced that she must investigate further and enlists Caleb’s help.

As they dig deeper, they uncover a disturbing pattern of missing children online, including the case of Malia, a girl who bears an uncanny resemblance to the child Rain saw in her dream. As Rain’s obsession with the mystery grows, so does the tension between her and her parents. Her mother, Michelle, begins to question whether Caleb is a figment of Rain’s imagination or a real person.

The lines blur further as Rain and Caleb attempt to break into Ms. McConnell’s home, only to be thwarted once again. The stakes are raised when Michelle becomes increasingly skeptical about the authenticity of her daughter’s experiences. In a climactic moment, Rain’s frustration boils over as she takes matters into her own hands, sparking a confrontation with her parents that culminates in a heart-wrenching display of desperation and defiance.

As the evening unfolds, Rain’s living room becomes the stage for a pivotal moment: her first kiss with Caleb. The tender encounter is cut short by the sudden arrival of Michelle, whose presence confirms to Rain that Caleb is more than just a figment of her imagination. However, before the trio can fully process this revelation, Caleb makes a hasty exit, leaving Rain reeling. The next day at school, Rain’s concerns about Caleb’s reality are heightened when she discovers he’s absent from class, leading her to wonder if she’s been conjuring him up in her mind after all.

In desperation, Rain seeks the counsel of her therapist, only to find her unavailable. Returning home, Rain’s emotional state begins to unravel as she struggles to cope with the uncertainty swirling around her. Michelle’s attempts at comfort are met with frustration and anger as Rain lashes out at the world around her. It is then that John delivers a devastating blow: Michelle has been gone for three years, and Rain’s perception of her presence has been a product of her own imagination.

In the aftermath of this crushing revelation, Rain finds herself lost in a sea of confusion. She becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about Malia, a character she believes to be real but whose existence is consistently denied by John. In a desperate bid for answers, Rain breaks into Ms McConnell’s home once more, determined to unravel the mystery that has consumed her.

As she delves deeper into the house, Rain experiences a series of visions and encounters that blur the lines between reality and fantasy. She converses with what she believes to be her mother’s spirit in the attic, only to have Ms McConnell arrive home and reveal herself as very much alive. However, when Rain discovers Malia locked away in the basement, she finds herself torn between her desire for truth and her growing sense of unease.

As Ms McConnell enters the scene, Rain is forced to confront the possibility that everything she thought she knew was a fabrication. It is then that Caleb appears, overpowering Ms McConnell and giving Rain and Malia a chance to escape. The revelation that follows is nothing short of shattering: John confirms that Malia is indeed real, and that Rain’s perceptions have been accurate all along.

In the aftermath of this epiphanic moment, Rain finds herself on the road to recovery. With the help of new medication, she begins to regain control over her fragile psyche. As she visits Michelle’s grave with John weeks later, Rain is met with a poignant reminder that her mother’s memory will always be with her.

In the quiet of her own room, as she drifts off to sleep, Rain is visited by one final vision: her mother sleeping peacefully beside her, a reassuring presence that echoes through her mind like a gentle refrain.