The Exorcism of Emily Rose (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
Linda Blair, where art thou? 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose', a supernatural thriller directed by Scott Derrickson, is based on the true story of a priest who is accused of murder after performing an exorcism on a teenage girl. Father Moore (Tom Wilkinson) is innocent if the jury believes Emily (Jennifer Carpenter) was indeed, possessed by a demon(s). He's guilty if the prosecution proves that Emily had a 'psychotic epilepsy disorder'. She was taking a drug named Gambutrol that, according to Father Moore, impeded her ability to get rid of the demon(s) during the exorcism. Hence, the failed exorcism led to her death. The story is told through flashbacks from the courtroom. Father Moore is on trial & we, the audience, feel like the jury for most of the film; I liked that, a lot. I didn't know much about the movie heading into the theater & I am glad I kept it that way; what a pleasantly spooky surprise.
Father Moore is egged-on by his lawyer, Erin (Laura Linney), & the archdiocese to plead guilty & receive a 6 yr. sentence. This way, the scandal surrounding this case would fly under the radar & the archdiocese wouldn't receive such bad press. Funny enough, it is the archdiocese who initially gives Moore the okay to proceed with an exorcism in the 1st place. But Father Moore is not concerned with his reputation or with the archdiocese, he wants to tell Emily Rose's story. Erin, an agnostic, doesn't believe in demons, nor does she agree with Moore's convictions, but she is willing to allow him to take the witness stand. All of this goes against her law firm's wishes & also the archdiocese. In fact, Erin jeopardizes her chances on making 'partner' at her law firm by allowing Moore to testify.
One of the key witnesses for the defense is a doctor played by the great Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand & Fog). She & Erin try to further convince the jury that an exorcism may have been the best way to cure Emily Rose's unusual ailments. But the prosecutor (Campbell Scott) certainly had his fair share of expert witnesses to ensure that Father Moore inadvertently murdered Emily Rose. It was all going to come down to whether or not the jury believed in anything that wasn't completely objective. I will not divulge what verdict the jury comes to.
This film is very suspenseful & rather intense. It provides frightening images that are still fresh in my mind. i.e., in one scene, Emily's boyfriend wakes up in the middle of the night & finds that she is not in bed with him. He lurches forward in the still of the night to see where she is. He finds her on the floor & is horrified by what he sees. I will not type any more description of it, you just have to see it to believe how starkly scary it is. And of course, there is the inevitable exorcism scene. The scene is one of the more fantastic, energetic displays of terror that I have ever seen in cinema. Something else I liked that lends to the eeriness of the film is that the exorcism takes place in an old creepy house, in a small town, in wintertime, where every color & mood of nature is neutral, vague, & vacant.
Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, & the rest of the fine cast are convincing in their roles & lend quite a bit of acting clout to this project. Jennifer Carpenter could be a break-out star from this. In fact, it may be unprecedented, but I feel she could grab a supporting actress nomination for the wide spectrum of physicality & emotions that she so believably displays as Emily Rose. I have one complaint about 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose'. After the explosive climax, the denouement of this film seems rather flat. I wish a little more energy could have come from the actors & the screenplay in the last 10-15 minutes. That said, this is one of the better films I have seen all year long. I am shocked and dismayed by this, but it is the truth. Bravo, Scott Derrickson.
Father Moore is egged-on by his lawyer, Erin (Laura Linney), & the archdiocese to plead guilty & receive a 6 yr. sentence. This way, the scandal surrounding this case would fly under the radar & the archdiocese wouldn't receive such bad press. Funny enough, it is the archdiocese who initially gives Moore the okay to proceed with an exorcism in the 1st place. But Father Moore is not concerned with his reputation or with the archdiocese, he wants to tell Emily Rose's story. Erin, an agnostic, doesn't believe in demons, nor does she agree with Moore's convictions, but she is willing to allow him to take the witness stand. All of this goes against her law firm's wishes & also the archdiocese. In fact, Erin jeopardizes her chances on making 'partner' at her law firm by allowing Moore to testify.
One of the key witnesses for the defense is a doctor played by the great Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand & Fog). She & Erin try to further convince the jury that an exorcism may have been the best way to cure Emily Rose's unusual ailments. But the prosecutor (Campbell Scott) certainly had his fair share of expert witnesses to ensure that Father Moore inadvertently murdered Emily Rose. It was all going to come down to whether or not the jury believed in anything that wasn't completely objective. I will not divulge what verdict the jury comes to.
This film is very suspenseful & rather intense. It provides frightening images that are still fresh in my mind. i.e., in one scene, Emily's boyfriend wakes up in the middle of the night & finds that she is not in bed with him. He lurches forward in the still of the night to see where she is. He finds her on the floor & is horrified by what he sees. I will not type any more description of it, you just have to see it to believe how starkly scary it is. And of course, there is the inevitable exorcism scene. The scene is one of the more fantastic, energetic displays of terror that I have ever seen in cinema. Something else I liked that lends to the eeriness of the film is that the exorcism takes place in an old creepy house, in a small town, in wintertime, where every color & mood of nature is neutral, vague, & vacant.
Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, & the rest of the fine cast are convincing in their roles & lend quite a bit of acting clout to this project. Jennifer Carpenter could be a break-out star from this. In fact, it may be unprecedented, but I feel she could grab a supporting actress nomination for the wide spectrum of physicality & emotions that she so believably displays as Emily Rose. I have one complaint about 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose'. After the explosive climax, the denouement of this film seems rather flat. I wish a little more energy could have come from the actors & the screenplay in the last 10-15 minutes. That said, this is one of the better films I have seen all year long. I am shocked and dismayed by this, but it is the truth. Bravo, Scott Derrickson.