‘In The Tall Grass’ Review: The Film Delivers Another Solid Stephen King Adaptation
The Film based on King and Joe Hill‘s novella of the same name, In the Tall Grass follows an inseparable pair of siblings who wind up trapped in a Lovecraftian nightmare when they follow a young boy’s cries for help and wind up lost in an ancient, ungodly field of grass that never lets you leave.
Becky (Laysla De Oliveira) is in the last trimester of her pregnancy, and without a stable partner to father her baby, she’s struggling to decide what she wants to do. Fortunately, she has her brother Cal (Avery Whitted), who joins her on a road trip to San Diego, where a family waits to adopt the unborn girl. But they never make it to San Diego.
When siblings Becky and Cal hear the cries of a young boy lost within a field of tall grass, they venture in to rescue him, only to become ensnared themselves by a sinister force that quickly disorients and separates them. Cut off from the world and unable to escape the field’s tightening grip, they soon discover that the only thing worse than getting lost is being found. Based on the novella by Stephen King and Joe Hill.
Movie Info
Rating: NR
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Directed By: Vincenzo Natali
On Disc/Streaming: Oct 4, 2019
Runtime: 90 minutes
Studio: Netflix
What are the Critics saying about ‘In The Tall Grass’?
Noel Murray (Los Angeles Times)
“In the Tall Grass” runs too long and repeats itself too much to be as gripping as its source material. Turns out there’s a limit to how scary weeds can be.
Brian Lowry (CNN.com)
Despite an uneven track record, In the Tall Grass gives the lamest King adaptations a run for their money, as writer-director Vincenzo Natali labors to stretch out the story, which takes a wrong turn in more ways than one.
David Ehrlich (indieWire)
It’s rather astonishing how fast Vincenzo Natali’s “In the Tall Grass” completely loses your interest.
Brian Tallerico (RogerEbert.com)
As it gets less relatable, it gets less interesting, but there’s still Wilson’s all-in performance and Natali’s craftsmanship to keep us engaged, stuck in the grass, praying for a way out.