Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Exorcism of Emily Rose
2005
**
Director: Scott Derrickson
Cast: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Carpenter, Colm Feore, Mary Beth Hurt, Henry Czerny, Shohreh Aghdashloo

Emily Rose was a young troubled woman who believed she was possessed by demons. Father Moore carried out a failed exorcism on her and is now on trial for homicidal negligence. This horror court drama is a cross between Inherit the Wind and The Exorcist. The prosecution's case is based on pseudoscience, the defense fights the charges with supernatural arguments, and the jury is asked to weigh the facts. Scott Derrickson tells the story with a straight face, but it's way too silly and implausible to work. Jennifer Carpenter gives an impressive performance as Emily, though. Loosely based on the life of Anneliese Michel, a young German Catholic who also inspired the 2006 German film Requiem.