Fear of Rain

17-year-old Rain Burroughs (Madison Iseman) struggles with early onset schizophrenia, leading to her hospitalization after a harrowing psychotic episode. During her therapy sessions, she admits to her therapist that she has been neglecting her medication because it inhibits her passion for painting. Her loving parents, Michelle (Katherine Heigl) and John (Harry Connick Jr), provide unwavering support. However, upon her return to school, Rain faces rejection from her peers who ridicule her for her condition. Fortunately, a new classmate, Caleb (Israel Broussard), takes notice of her, and they soon start to develop a friendship.

One night, Rain experiences a vivid nightmare where she visualizes her neighbor, Ms. McConnell (Eugenie Bondurant), dancing with a small child. Startled awake, she peers through her window into the attic of Ms. McConnell’s house only to see the child being quickly pulled out of view. The next morning, Rain and John pay Ms. McConnell a visit, seeking to investigate the attic. However, the search yields only dolls and mannequins that the teacher claims were left by her late grandmother. Confiding in Caleb, he believes her story, and they decide to sneak into Ms. McConnell’s home to search for the missing girl. Sadly, their efforts lead them to no discoveries.

Driven by curiosity, Rain and Caleb scour the internet for reports of missing children, eventually finding a girl named Malia who bears an uncanny resemblance to the child Rain glimpsed earlier. As their bond deepens, the complexities of Rain’s illness emerge, prompting Michelle to question whether Caleb might be merely a figment of Rain’s imagination. Their attempts to search Ms. McConnell’s house again go awry when she detects their break-in and calls the authorities. Tensions rise at home when John confronts Rain, urging her to take her medication. In a heated moment, she defiantly swallows several pills, leading to a physical altercation between them.

That evening, amid a backdrop of confusion and emotional turmoil, Rain and Caleb share their first kiss. However, when Rain’s mother unexpectedly interrupts, it triggers her doubts about Caleb’s existence. The next day, Rain is distressed to discover Caleb is absent at school, igniting her fear that he might not be real after all. In an attempt to seek help, she visits her therapist but finds her unavailable. Back home, Rain succumbs to a mental breakdown, and amidst chaos, John reveals a shocking truth: Michelle has been deceased for three years, and Rain’s perception has woven her mother into her imagination.

Desperate for clarity, Rain breaks into Ms. McConnell’s home once more, drawn to the attic where she encounters a vision of her mother. As she tries to escape undetected, the scene escalates when Ms. McConnell returns home for dinner. With the basement door mysteriously locked, Rain manages to steal the keys, unveiling a sinister secret inside: Malia is imprisoned in a cage. Hiding in the same cage when Ms. McConnell approaches, Rain listens as the teacher insists she only wants to help and that Malia isn’t real. The conflict of belief clouds Rain’s mind until Caleb arrives, swiftly incapacitating Ms. McConnell and allowing Rain and Malia a chance to escape.

Upon John’s arrival, he reassures Rain that Malia is indeed real, starkly contrasting earlier doubts. To Rain’s relief, Caleb also verifies his own existence, alleviating her fears. In the weeks that follow, Rain begins her recovery; the new medication proves effective, significantly reducing her hallucinations. She shares a poignant moment with John as they visit Michelle’s grave, paying tribute to her memory. Later that night, as Rain drifts into sleep, she is comforted by a reassuring vision of her mother beside her, whispering that she will always remain in Rain’s heart and memory.

Last Updated: November 15, 2024 at 19:15