As I was writing up a review for another famous exorcism movie I had never seen until this year, I realized I had seen another of the same sub-genre this year and never discussed it here. The Exorcism of Emily Rose was a movie that stuck in my mind for fifteen years based solely on the title and the commercials for it. I never saw it, but the name of the film had a certain cadence that made it just lock in my brain as something relevant to mention from time to time in conversation. Not to mention, the ominous narrator in the commercials said it in a way that further cemented it in my mind. Somehow, a movie I’d never seen would end up at the forefront of my brain based entirely on name and marketing. If that isn’t some evil magic, I don’t know what is.

Pros

Good acting from the cast
Court drama adds a unique twist to the exorcism sub-genre
Creepy moments are well shot and don’t overstay their welcome
Some practical effects and contortionist abilities help make the film creepier

Cons

The nature of the main conflict is a bit too abstract in some ways
Suspend your disbelief on a few things, including why demons would care if a priest went to jail
Early 2000 digital effects look really bad

Plot & Thoughts

Emily Rose (Jennifer Carpenter) was a simple girl from a rural section of America who had a good heart and a sound mind. She managed to get a scholarship and be the first in her family to go to college. College life wasn’t about to corrupt or change her into anything other than the devout Christian she was. Unfortunately for her, she became possessed by an evil spirit and had to come back home—it happens, I guess.

Her family did her best to help her and make her comfortable during this time, along with the help of Father Moore (Tom Wilkinson), but to no avail. Emily stopped eating and soon died. However, circumstantial (and some forensic) evidence pointed to the family priest as the culprit for her death through negligence. The rest of the secular world was not about to buy some “possession” theory. So, it’s up to defense lawyer, Erin Bruner (Laura Linney), to convince the court that Father Moore was just doing what he thought was best and had no intention of harming Emily. The only problem is that her circle of witnesses and evidence appears to be shrinking in a mysterious fashion. Not to mention, the good Father refuses to cooperate unless he gets to “tell Emily’s story.”

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is 80% court drama and 20% traditional exorcism horror. If you are not into court dramas, then I doubt this movie will do much for you. It has its creepy moments, but to call it a horror film almost feels inaccurate in some ways. Don’t get me wrong, it still is a horror movie, but a majority of the focus is on the court side of things. There are plenty of scenes in which the characters encounter something creepy in their living quarters, like some spooky noises, an ominous shape, or something insidious to remind you that a demonic entity is involved in some way. There are also some instances in which, during the witnesses’ recollection of events, we get to see more of Emily in her possessed state. There are even a few jump scares thrown in for good measure. However, the focus on the legal side of things almost runs counter to the horror and made me less interested in the horror itself. I felt the main interest of the film was the courtroom and the story, rather than the horror aspect, for better or for worse.

Even as I write this review, I couldn’t tell you much more beyond that without giving away the experience. It’s not that there are any big plot twists to spoil, but so much of the film is wrapped up in the drama between other characters surrounding the court case, there’s not much more to say that wouldn’t impact the first-time viewing experience. There also are no big scenes in the courtroom that really steal the show the way other court dramas do. I liked The Exorcism of Emily Rose, but it doesn’t stand out much against other films like it. Aside from combining the two genres, there’s not much here that makes it uniquely different. It’s intriguing and it has the usual interest you might of a court drama, but you could watch something like Primal Fear for a similar, better, tense experience. You’d also still get Laura Linney playing a lawyer for good measure.

TL;DR (Conclusion)

A short review, but like I said, I almost forgot I watched The Exorcism of Emily Rose this year. I’m not trying to sell it short, as the film is well-made and has good acting from the cast. It still holds up pretty well fifteen years later, aside from the digital effects. However, despite all the details I found intriguing about the plot, there wasn’t enough there to really grab me and make me think it was a movie worth watching again.

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