David Sumner is a successful Hollywood screenwriter who relocates with his wife Amy to her hometown in rural Mississippi. They move into her old family home, which is still a work in progress. The locals are wary of outsiders, and tension soon builds between the couple and the town's residents.
David is working on a screenplay in his office while Amy works to restore the old house. They encounter a group of men who are working on fixing the roof and the relationship between the couple and the men is strained. David brushes it off and continues working while Amy continues restoring the house.
The men become more and more aggressive towards David and Amy, taunting them and making sexual overtures towards Amy. David tries to confront them, but they only ramp up the harassment. David's attempts to reconcile with Amy fall short, as she feels betrayed by his inaction in the face of the harassment.
As tensions come to a head, a drunken party at a neighbor's house leads to a violent confrontation that puts David and Amy's lives in danger. David must use his intelligence and wit to outsmart their attackers and keep himself and Amy safe.
Straw Dogs is a chilling exploration of the darkness that can dwell in small towns, and the lengths that people will go to protect what they believe is theirs. With powerful performances from its cast, including Dustin Hoffman and Susan George, the film remains a haunting and thought-provoking work of psychological suspense.