As the film begins, we hear the haunting sound of a piano playing alongside a series of old black-and-white photographs that depict family members grieving over the deceased in a funeral home. The scene transitions to Sarah Campbell, portrayed by Virginia Madsen, preparing for a television interview. When asked why such tragic events occur, Sarah reflects on the deeper question of why misfortune befalls good people, asserting that her family didn’t deserve the hardships they faced.
Fast forward to 1987, Sarah is seen driving her son Matt (Kyle Gallner) home after his cancer treatment at the hospital. While she offers a heartfelt prayer for his recovery, Matt playfully chides her for talking to herself, which he humorously suggests is a sign of madness. But Sarah reassures him that she is merely conversing with God, to which he responds that threatening the creator might not be wise. Their lighthearted exchange takes a turn when Matt suddenly feels nauseated, prompting Sarah to pull over as he gets sick by the roadside.
The following morning is chaotic as Sarah attempts to cook breakfast. Her husband Peter (Martin Donovan) enters, expressing concern over not hearing her come home the previous night. Their conversation escalates, revealing their struggles with Matt's illness and the financial strain it imposes. Sarah suggests they find a place closer to the hospital, but Peter, ever the realist, doubts their financial capabilities.
Sarah and Matt return to the hospital for a new treatment trial, and in her search for a suitable rental house, Sarah spots a man, Mr. Sinclair (John B. Lowe), erecting a "For Rent" sign. He offers her the first month free if she takes it immediately, hinting at the house's mysterious history. Sarah feels drawn to the space, though she wonders about the catch, sensing an unusual presence when she sees a shadowy figure retreat above them.
Later, she discovers she must rent this house without discussing it with Peter first, fearing the long drive home for Matt would be too painful. As the days pass, Matt’s condition fluctuates, and Sarah begins to experience unsettling phenomena within their new home, including strange noises and eerie reflections.
One night, while Matt lies awake, he is plagued by visions of corpses and ultimately finds himself in the basement, drawn to a walled-off area. He experiences disorienting shifts in reality, becoming increasingly haunted by the dark history of their residence. As Matt navigates through the house, he is repeatedly confronted by chilling echoes of the past, including his vision of Jonah (Erik J. Berg), a spirit with a tragic plight connected to the house's history involving necromantic practices undertaken by the former owner.
Sarah and Matt’s struggle intensifies as they not only deal with the emotional toll of his illness but are also subjected to increasingly bizarre and terrifying occurrences within the house. Conversations with fellow patients like Reverend Nicholas Popescu (Elias Koteas) lend some insight into the haunting they are experiencing and the spirits that may be trapped there.
As Matt and his family immerse themselves in the ominous history of their home, they gradually uncover the horrifying stories of those who once inhabited it. The family's already fragile dynamics strain as Sarah and Peter face the burden of Matt’s deteriorating health, hallucinatory episodes, and supernatural events.
With every revelation and each escalating nightmare, Matt becomes a central figure in trying to help the wandering spirits find peace. Through a harrowing journey, he encounters visions, ghostly figures, and realizations that pierce through both his conscious and subconscious as he grapples with his own mortality.
In a climactic confrontation, the family faces the spirits that haunt their home, forcing them to confront not only the past but also the impending future of their family unit. Amid the chaos, Matt takes decisive action, leading to a devastating yet liberating fire meant to purge the malevolent spirits.
As the story draws to a close, hope flickers as Sarah recounts how, against all odds, Matt defies his cancer diagnosis, finding a path toward healing while the house is purified and freed from the darkness that had lingered. The family's journey through grief, confrontation, and love culminates in a powerful testament to resilience and the complexity of human experience in the face of tragedy.
