FEAR OF RAIN
Separating reality from fantasy is a matter of life and death.
Should You Watch It?
FEAR OF RAIN is an intense, entertaining thriller with a strong moral center. It promotes truth, parental love, friendship, rescue, and helping people in trouble. Rain’s parents care for her intentionally, and the film takes seriously the challenge of loving someone whose illness affects her grasp of reality.
That moral strength comes with serious content concerns. The movie includes occult references and imagery, foul language, and scary violence. Its psychological premise also places viewers inside Rain’s fear and uncertainty as she tries to determine what is real.
The film is worth seeing for discerning adults who can handle those elements, but it is not suitable for children or young teens. For a family audience, choose something else.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESRain is a high school student with schizophrenia. Her episodes take her in and out of reality, especially when she does not take her medication. After hearing a scream from the neighboring house, Rain becomes convinced that her teacher has kidnapped a young girl.
With help from Caleb, a teenage boy who becomes her friend, Rain tries to investigate. But as her suspicions grow, she must also confront the possibility that what she believes may be part of her illness.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a strong film in its chosen form. FEAR OF RAIN is intense and entertaining, with convincing performances from Madison Iseman, Katherine Heigl, and Harry Connick Jr. Iseman is convincing as a high schooler with schizophrenia, while Heigl and Connick make compelling parents.
The movie uses handheld shots and eerie music to create fear and paranoia. Rain’s thoughts are sometimes written across the screen as a stylistic touch. Thriller fans will find the film well-acted and absorbing.
The Worldview
FEAR OF RAIN strongly values truth. Its title character keeps pursuing what she believes is right, even while her illness makes it difficult to separate reality from fantasy. The film also exalts parental love, friendship, rescue, and helping people in trouble.
Rain’s parents repeatedly tell her, “I love you,” and care for her with intentionality. One reference to people having faith in God acknowledges belief, although Rain says she does not share it. The film’s moral vision is therefore positive in important ways, while its use of Tarot cards for a magic trick and scary occult imagery creates a serious spiritual concern.
The film’s central question is how to seek truth when fear and confusion distort what we see. Scripture offers this promise: “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong moral worldview overall where the protagonist is in constant pursuit of the truth and her parents utter many times “I love you” and care for her with intentionality and including themes of rescue and friendship that add to the movie’s positive morality, plus there’s some angel statues in a cemetery, and one instance where the protagonist makes a reference to people having faith in God even though she doesn’t, marred by two scenes where a teenage boy uses Tarot cards for a magic trick when he easily could’ve used a regular deck of cards and some scary occult imagery that viewers must discern if it’s a hallucination or not
Foul Language
11 obscenities (including two “f” words) and six profanities, including one mentioning Christ
Violence
Strong violence includes teenager accidentally cuts her finger while slicing veggies, but there’s no depicted blood, reference to a suicide attempt, and a voice inside a teenagers head tells her to kill herself, kidnapping, a mentally ill teenager has scrapes on her person from manic episodes and she holds a knife in a few scenes thinking it will help her fend off the voices in her head, woman kills herself by hanging, father strikes his teenage daughter across the face in anger, blood filters out of a shower and an angel statue’s eyes, and choking
Sex
No premarital sex or other sexual immorality, but teenagers share a kiss
Nudity
No explicit nudity but some dolls and mannequins appear without clothes, but there’s no graphic detail
Alcohol Use
No alcohol use
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or illegal drugs, but teenager takes prescribed medication for schizophrenia, and doctors use a syringe to sedate a manic patient;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Dismissive friends, gossip, name-calling, breaking and entering depicted in more than one scene, and some dysfunctional family portrayals.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Rain keeps pursuing the truth even when she cannot tell what is real. How can we seek truth patiently when fear or confusion affects our judgment?
John 8:32 · James 1:5Rain’s parents continue to love and care for her through painful circumstances. What does intentional love look like when someone in your family is struggling?
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 · Galatians 6:2The film includes Tarot cards and scary occult imagery. Why does Scripture warn us against seeking spiritual guidance apart from God?
Deuteronomy 18:10–12 · Isaiah 8:19Rain finds friendship and help while trying to rescue someone she believes is in danger. How should Christians respond when another person may be in trouble?
Proverbs 31:8–9 · Galatians 6:2The Final Word
FEAR OF RAIN is a well-acted, morally serious thriller that values truth, parental love, and friendship. Its occult elements, foul language, and scary violence make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For younger viewers, consider.
