Film Reviews

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

• Rating:
• Director: Scott Derrickson
• Starring: Jennifer Carpenter
• Details: US, 119mins, 15s.

When an exorcism of a 19-year-old woman goes horribly wrong and the woman dies, Father Moore (Wilkinson), a small town priest, finds himself at the centre of a murder trial. Moore, according to the prosecution, ignored all medical advice and relied on the girl's faith to heal her. Defending him is Erin Brunner (Linney), a hot-shot agnostic lawyer, who is more interested in having her name on the plaque above the firm's door than the actual case. Soon, though, things go bump in Brunner's apartment and she realises that it's not her career at stake here, it's her soul. Based on a true story, this is a film pitched at those who haven't seen The Exorcist or any courtroom dramas before - cliches bounce around this mundane story like a possessed grasshopper. Director Derrickson frantically waves flags at important plot points just in case no one is paying attention: showing a clock in a film is a sure sign of a very lazy filmmaker but Derrickson utilizes this tool at least five times in the movie (it's the demonic witching hour, apparently) just in case the point was lost. It's not all his fault though, as Linney's acting lacks any purpose or continuity: when the demons start to attack her in her own home, Linney, although scared at the time, seems unfazed one scene later. The normally dependable Campbell, as the prosecution, has nothing to do but wander about the court objecting and Wilkinson does his best to believe what he is saying even though he may have the worst lines in the film. Think The Exorcist crossed with a serious Ally McBeal episode.

Review by Gavin Burke