In the Tall Grass

In the Tall Grass is a 2019 Canadian supernatural horror drama film written and directed by Vincenzo Natali. It is based on Stephen King and Joe Hill's 2012 novella of the same name. It stars Harrison Gilbertson, Laysla De Oliveira, Avery Whitted, Will Buie Jr., Rachel Wilson, and Patrick Wilson. The project was in initial development in early 2015, and went forward in May 2018, when streaming service Netflix announced that it had purchased the film rights, setting Natali to direct and adapt the screenplay. Principal photography took place in summer 2018 in Toronto, Ontario. The film had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 20, 2019, and was released on Netflix on October 4, 2019. It received mixed reviews from critics, with many praising the performances, atmosphere and faithfulness to the novella, but criticizing its inconsistent tone and dialogue. Plot A pregnant Becky and her brother, Cal DeMuth, are traveling to San Diego. They hear the cries for help from a young boy named Tobin, who is accompanied by his mother, Natalie. Concerned, the siblings enter but quickly get separated and find that their distance changes unnaturally. They decide to leave but can't find the road. Becky encounters Tobin's father, Ross, who tells her to stay close and not to lose sight of him, but she does so. Cal stumbles across Tobin, holding a dead crow. Tobin claims the grass won't move dead things and buries the bird in the path, telling Cal that rock told him Becky would die soon. When Tobin leads Cal to a rock in the field and tells him to touch it, he hears Becky's scream before a ghost attacks him.