Often, a touch of believability can do wonders to raise the terror. Part of why The Conjuring works so well is that it started from a true story and a real couple, and the film carefully presents their fiction as fact. The Exorcism of Emily Rose is also based on a true story and structured as a courtroom drama. Fighting Satan with Holy Water becomes a lot less silly. The trial is going to make you believe something fantastical actually happened, aided by grounded performances by Tom Wilkinson (as the priest), Laura Linney (as the Lawyer and Jennifer Carpenter as Emily.
If you’re looking for something closer to the true story of Anneliese Michel and how her strict religious upbringing led to the events portrayed in Emily Rose, there’s a 2006 film called Requiem starring Sandra Hüller (Project Hail Mary, Anatomy of a Fall).
Leave A Comment