Carrie White is constantly bullied by her peers, who mock her socially awkward demeanor and her lack of fashion sense. Her mother, Margaret White, is an ultra-religious woman who believes that all things outside of her faith are sinful, including sex, menstruation, and even the use of tampons. Carrie suffers from frequent hallucinations and is deeply unhappy with her life, made worse by the fact that she is not allowed to attend school dances or interact with boys.
As prom approaches, Carrie begins to experience sporadic moments of telekinetic power, causing objects to move on their own and lights to flicker. Her classmates decide to play a cruel prank on Carrie, arranging for her to be crowned prom queen before dumping a bucket of pig's blood on her head. Overwhelmed with humiliation and rage, Carrie unleashes her telekinetic powers on the school, causing chaos and destruction, and ultimately leading to the death of most of her classmates and teachers.
Throughout the movie, we see flashbacks involving Carrie's late father, a man who suffered from the same telekinetic abilities and was eventually driven insane by them. Carrie's mother was convinced that her husband was possessed by the devil and sought to rid him of his powers by mutilating him. This past, in addition to the relentless bullying she suffered at school, ultimately leads to Carrie's breakdown and violent rampage.