My Best Friend’s Exorcism is a 2022 comedy horror film set in the late ’80s during the so-called Satanic Panic; it’s a touching story of high school friendship and, well, demonic possession.
Directed by Damon Thomas (Penny Dreadful series) from a screenplay written by Jenna Lamia based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Grady Hendrix (Satanic Panic).
Produced by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Christopher Landon (Freaky; Happy Death Day), Stephen W. Moore and Jennifer Semler. Executive produced by Michael Flynn.
The Endeavor Content-Gotham Group co-production stars Elsie Fisher, Amiah Miller, Christopher Lowell, Clayton Royal Johnson, Cathy Ang, Erin Ownbey, Michael Wayne Foster, Cynthia Evans, Ashley LeConte Campbell, Nathan Anderson and Rachel Leah Cohen.
Plot synopsis:
The year is 1988. High school sophomores Abby (Elsie Fisher) and Gretchen (Amiah Miller) have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinny-dipping goes disastrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act…different. She’s moody. She’s irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she’s nearby.
Abby’s investigation leads her to some startling discoveries-and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single question: Is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?
Reviews:
” …the plot tries to cover too many issues, without being able to explore any of them decently. For most parts, My Best Friend’s Exorcism plays out like a regular teen drama, with a few laughs here and there. Maybe a non-supernatural take on teen friendships would’ve worked better for the film, because horror fans are going to be disappointed with the end product.” 5.5/10, Abstract AF!
“In saving Gretchen, Abby is also saving a relationship that means the world to her. The weight of that comes across strongly in the book. It doesn’t come across at all on the screen. My Best Friend’s Exorcism drags horribly, even at 96 minutes, because it never grasps the fundamental meaning of the story.” 1.5/4, The Aisle Seat
“The straightforward possession story struggles to overcome its low stakes and rushed narrative. The film tells us that Abby and Gretchen have been lifelong best friends, but there’s no sense of history or chemistry between the pair […] There is a playfulness about it all and a cloying sweetness that might win over a young demographic.” 2/5, Bloody Disgusting
” …isn’t particularly funny, either. Part of the marketing for the movie tried to sell it as such. This is not the movie’s fault at all, but it is best if expectations are set correctly. This is very much a teen drama horror. It tackles some very serious issues, and none of them are treated as a joke. My Best Friend’s Exorcism might be good enough for a single viewing, but the characters are quite weak.” 6/10, Fiction Horizon
“Ultimately, My Best Friend’s Exorcism misses the opportunity to wallow in wickedness and that’s a pity. But this is rather a smashing film regardless, with vulnerable performances selling the harder truths of teen life, frank depictions of sexual identities and enough silliness to buoy the whole thing along with aplomb.” 4/5, HeyUGuys
” …by the time Christopher Lowell is stealing scenes as one-third of a hilariously lame “faith and fitness show” who also fancies himself a demonologist, the nuttiness has won out for good. And that’s okay. My Best Friend’s Exorcism is the teenage sex comedy religious satire devil flick we didn’t expect.” 3.5/5, Maddwolf
” …seems to have taken Hendrix’s story and removed the edges and spikes to make an easy-to-market teen scream with a vaguely 80s flair. An exact novel-to-screen adaptation would probably require a miniseries, but a feature film that captured the soul of the book was absolutely possible. Instead, the final product is a lukewarm movie that has stripped away the complexities and depth…” Nightmarish Conjurings
“There are some creepy and tense moments, such as when the girls are in the abandoned house, but it never ventures into the genuinely spooky realm for long. My Best Friend’s Exorcism is more interested in friendship, ineffectual parents and other adults, and, bodybuilding Christian demon hunters.” Voices from the Balcony
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