The film is a Midwestern Gothic film directed by Antonio Campas (Christine) and tells the story of Knockemstiff, a remote area in Ohio. The protagonist Willard Russell is desperate to save his dying wife and is willing to sacrifice himself, while his son (Holland) is growing from a child abused at school to a man who knows when to take action. The characters include a serial killer couple, a missionary who tests people's faith, and a corrupt local sheriff (Stan). The time period ranges from the end of World War II to the 1960s, and the locations range from rural southern Ohio to West Virginia.