Jake is a jealous, deeply insecure man from Southern California who struggles with violent outbursts. He lives in the shadow of his deceased military father, harboring intense paranoia regarding his wife's loyalty. Following his recent violent act, he retreats into a confused, childlike state in his childhood bedroom. He surrounds himself with military memorabilia, choosing to hide in the past rather than face the reality of his actions.

Frankie is Jake's rational and grounded brother. He operates as the voice of reason within a deeply fractured family, prioritizing concrete solutions and medical care over emotional denial. He attempts to mitigate the damage caused by his sibling's violent outbursts, often putting himself at physical risk to repair the rift between the two families.

Beth is an actress and Jake's wife who is recovering from a severe physical assault at the hands of her husband. Her resulting brain injury impairs her speech and cognition, leaving her disoriented but slowly recognizing her desire for independence. Despite her condition, she acutely observes the performative nature of the gender roles forced upon her by the men in her life.

Mike is Beth's anxious, competitive brother who takes on a protective but overbearing role during her hospitalization. He struggles to assert himself in the shadow of his emotionally distant father and resents anyone connected to Jake. He relies on controlling the situation to manage his own deep-seated insecurities.

Lorraine is the fiercely denial-prone mother of Jake, Frankie, and Sally. She runs her household in Southern California by clinging to an idealized past and infantilizing her adult sons. She harbors deep resentment toward her late husband and views any woman involved with her sons as an intrusion on her territory.

Sally is Jake and Frankie's sister, a cautious observer of her family's escalating dysfunction. She remembers the darker truths about their late father's death, which puts her at odds with her mother's sanitized version of the past. She struggles to find her own independence while remaining emotionally entangled in her mother and brother's chaos.

Baylor is a stubborn, emotionally detached Montana farmer who adheres to outdated ideals of rugged masculinity. He avoids his family's emotional crises by retreating into the wilderness to hunt, expecting absolute obedience from the women in his household. He masks his self-doubt with aggressive stoicism and patriotism.

Meg is Beth and Mike's submissive, forgetful mother who defers almost entirely to her husband's demands. She has spent years suppressing her own identity to maintain peace in her rural Montana home. Despite her passive nature, she occasionally experiences brief moments of clarity regarding the deep dysfunction within her marriage.