Exorcism of Emily Rose, The

This lil’ movie stirred up quite a storm, as it should have. The question of the existence of demons and the spiritual realm is all the more relevant in our materialistic, post-modern society. Adapted from true circumstances in Germany (with a young woman named Anneliese Michel), the movie portrayed instead a US context (a rural community, a state college, and a city courtroom), which is seemingly easier to relate to for US audiences. Laura Linney’s portrayal of the defense attorney, Erin Bruner, was done quite well, showing her wrestling with the whole notion of this unseen realm (even though she was defending a priest who was accused of negligent homicide and “pushing old superstitions on a mentally sick girl” with his church-approved exorcism ritual). The ultimate question of “do you believe?” is woven into the very fabric of the movie and its plot, and the decide-on-your-own approach that the film makers took is commendable. As a courtroom drama, it works. As a spine-tingling suspense film, it works just as well. Combining the two was a surprising success. [Sony Pictures] Doug Van Pelt

02 : Obscenities
01 : Scenes of Gore
00 : Nudity / Sexuality
100% : Spiritual Relevancy

This DVD review was originally published in the May/June Issue (#119) of HM Magazine. Order the Print Version now.

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Exorcism of Emily Rose, The

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