Are you stuck in the tall grass when you didn’t even go into the tall grass in the first place? You must be baffled after watching the newly released Netflix film, In the Tall Grass written by Stephen King and Joe Hill. What does the tall rock in the middle of the field represent? Are you confused about why the characters were suddenly out of the grass and then running right back in when they were already dead? And what were those green people supposed to be? Let’s put all the blink and miss it details to the page and figure out this film.
Becky and Cal
Becky and Cal are the first characters introduced. They are brother and sister who have a close relationship with each other. Pregnant, Becky has decided that she doesn’t feel that she’d make a good mother and decides to go meet the family who she is going to give her baby to.
Stopping alongside the road near a field of tall grass, Becky and Cal hear a little boy calling out for help. Apparently, he has been stuck in the tall grass for days. Cal decides to rescue the boy while Becky is unsure. Reluctant she follows Cal into the grass where they soon lose each other in the endless mazes.
Tobin and his Family
Tobin, a little boy, has been trapped in the tall grass for a questionable amount of time. On his first night, Cal bumps into Tobin. Meanwhile, Becky follows Ross, Tobin’s dad. They seem to know a lot more about the tall grass. It’s unknown how long or how many times Tobin and his family have been lured into this grass, but due to Tobin’s mom’s hysterical reactions, it has been a while seeing how she is aware of the changing loops.
Travis
Two months later, Travis, Becky’s ex-boyfriend (and the father-to-be) is in search of Becky and Cal. Noticing their dusty car parked at the church, and spying a very old burger, and even Becky’s book near the tall grass, Travis decides its time to further investigate.
Wandering into the tall grass, he can’t seem to find his way out, noticing that the direction of the sun has changed in only a second. Running into Tobin he takes him to Becky’s body. As Tobin says, the field does not move the bodies. Heartbroken, Travis refuses to leave Becky’s body.
The Time Loops
Upon waking up the next morning, Travis hears voices. Except they’re very familiar voices. Tobin and his family are outside the grass! It’s the grass playing tricks. Alerted by Travis’ calls and even warning him not to come into the tall grass, Tobin and his parents walk into the tall grass where their whole nightmare starts all over again.
And then Becky and Cal show up in their car, lured into the grass in the exact same way but with no memory of what had happened. Once everyone meets back up again, Travis tells them that they have been missing for two months while the siblings believe that it has only been a couple of times. Clearly, the grass has been playing tricks.
It’s not clear on who lured who into the grass due to the grass playing time loop tricks on its prisoners. And Becky was already dead.
How the Grass Works?
The grass controls time and everyone’s position even changing where everyone originally was. The only buildings we ever see are the church, the bowling alley surrounded in the tall grass and a small town that Becky and Cal pass.
The unique nature of time in the grass creates an alternative timeline in which all the events are happening at once. Those trapped in the grass are reborn again and again. Will the people change their path or stick with the path continuing to make mistakes or fix their problems?
Did you notice that there were a lot of cars parked in the church? The name of the church is ‘The Church of Black Rock the Redeemer.’ The church acts as a portal between the road and the field.
The Meaning of the Rock
The rock that sits in the middle of the field has a spiritual meaning. Touching it gives one the power to see the secrets behind the grass. The outcome of touching this rock varies depending on the character’s motivation.
Ross has turned into an evil sociopathic mastermind, killing for fun over and over, and refusing to tell everyone how to get out of this field when he knows how to get out. He happily states that this rock ‘brought everyone together.’ He also quips that touching the rock will redeem one for their sins.
The rock has ancient symbolic hieroglyphics drawn onto it, which includes the sacrifice of a baby. Becky collapse to the ground feeling her baby coming. Suddenly the ground cracks open revealing several bodies begging for her help. Those are the fates of all those who have fallen victim to the tall grass. They were not worthy of the rock’s power. Instead of redemption, the rock punishes them making all those with sins suffer for eternity.
The rock is a symbol of sacrifice and redemption. However, even after witnessing Ross’s evil plans, Travis touches the rock knowing full well of what could happen. Since Travis has sinned in his past, the rock decides to give him redemption. Arguably, Travis is still saved, even though he is still trapped in the tall grass, presumably dying.
The Ending
The loop has decided to start over again. Becky and Cal once again drive up to the tall grass and hear Tobin shouting for help. Tobin successfully makes them avoid going into the tall grass and avoid it all together making them drive away from the nightmare before another time loop starts. While Travis could have saved himself, Travis decides to save Tobin, sending him back to the past to alternate the future, warning him not to let (Becky and Cal) in.
