A young screenwriter named David and his wife Amy relocate from Los Angeles to Amy's hometown, a rural Southern community, to restore her family's home and for David to find inspiration for his work. The couple's arrival is met with a mix of curiosity and hostility from the local residents, including Amy's ex-boyfriend, Charlie, and his group of tough friends. Tensions begin to rise as Amy's flirtatious interactions with her former lover irk David, who struggles to assert himself in the face of the town's traditional attitudes and aggressive demeanor.

As the couple adjusts to their new environment, the locals' behavior becomes increasingly invasive and menacing, heightening David's sense of being an outsider. This tension culminates in a series of confrontations that test the couple's relationship and their endurance. David's initial passive resistance gives way to a more assertive defense of his life and property as the escalating threats force him to take drastic actions to protect his home and wife. The escalating situation reveals deep-seated issues of masculinity, pride, and survival, thrusting David into a position where he must confront brutality with courage.