As a seemingly endless rain pours down on a rural town somewhere in the Catskills, the matriarch of the Parker family succumbs to an unknown illness and collapses outside the grocery store, flood waters washing over her body. The family is rocked by the sudden and devastating loss, but the devoutly religious Frank Parker (Bill Sage) stoically vows that things carry on as normal, with daughters Iris (Ambyr Childers) and Rose (Julia Garner) tasked with carrying out the duties formerly assigned to their mother.
Those duties include preparing meals, keeping a clean house, taking care of their younger brother, and most importantly, maintaining a time-honored tradition that has been passed down through the generations. At first, the girls balk at the pressure of such responsibility – after all, their mother died before she ever had the opportunity to properly educate them about the family’s secret – but they quickly realize that their father is giving them little choice in the matter.
Meanwhile, a curious finding during their mother’s autopsy, along with a gruesome discovery washed downstream by raging flood waters, has left Doc Barrow (Michael Parks) wondering what, exactly, is going on in the Parker household. They come across like good, devout Christian folks, but it’s difficult to argue that something doesn’t seem quite right. As Doc Barrow begins assembling the pieces, Iris and Rose struggle to reconcile their devotion to the family with their desire to be just like everyone else.
Jim Mickle’s We Are What We Are is a clever reimagining of the 2010 Mexican film of the same name, taking the basic foundation of the original and building a completely different experience. It’s restrained, stylish storytelling, and patient viewers will find themselves rewarded with a film that slowly dials up the tension while maintaining a pervasive sense of unease from the opening credits to the shocking climax.