The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
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A self-proclaimed agnostic lawyer defends a priest accused of negligent homicide after a failed exorcism.
The story
Erin Bruner, an ambitious lawyer seeking promotion to senior partner, takes the case of Father Richard Moore, a Catholic diocesan priest charged with negligent homicide following an attempted exorcism of 19-year-old student Emily Rose. The archdiocese wants Moore to plead guilty to limit public attention, but he instead pleads not guilty. During the trial, the defense must navigate the medical explanations for Emily's condition—including epilepsy and schizophrenia—against the priest's claims of demonic possession. Bruner must decide how much of the supernatural elements to present to the court while facing pressure from her superiors to settle the case quietly.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Erin Bruner, an ambitious lawyer seeking promotion to senior partner, takes the case of Father Richard Moore, a Catholic diocesan priest charged with negligent homicide following an attempted exorcism of 19-year-old student Emily Rose. While the archdiocese pressures Moore to plead guilty, he maintains his innocence. The trial features a clash between medical experts, who attribute Emily's condition to epilepsy and schizophrenia, and Moore, who claims she was possessed by a demon. During the proceedings, Bruner begins experiencing supernatural phenomena at her home, including the smell of burning material at 3 a.m. Moore warns her she has become a target. Despite threats to her career, Bruner allows Moore to testify and present a recording of the exorcism and a letter from Emily. The letter describes Emily's visions of the Virgin Mary and her choice to endure suffering to prove the devil's existence. The jury finds Moore guilty but recommends a sentence of time served. Moore is released, and Bruner declines a partnership offer. The film ends with Moore in seclusion and Emily's grave becoming an unofficial holy shrine.
- First release year
- 2005
- Runtime (minutes)
- 119
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Scott Derrickson
- Writers
- Paul Harris Boardman · writer; Scott Derrickson · writer
- Cast and characters
- Laura Linney · Erin Christine Bruner; Tom Wilkinson · Father Richard Moore; Jennifer Carpenter · Emily Rose; Campbell Scott · Ethan Thomas; Colm Feore · Karl Gunderson; Mary Beth Hurt · Judge Brewster; Henry Czerny · Dr. Briggs; Shohreh Aghdashloo · Dr. Sadira Adani
- Genres
- supernatural horror; legal drama
- Themes
- faith vs. science; religious belief; justice
- Tone and mood
- tense; somber
- Premise and plot tags
- legal drama; supernatural; based on true events
- Source material / true-story basis
- The real-life case of Anneliese Michel.
- Content notes
- horror
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, though Jennifer Carpenter's performance was specifically praised.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 46% · scale: percentage · review count: 156; Metacritic · score: 46 · scale: 100 · review count: 32; CinemaScore · score: B · scale: A to F
- Awards and nominations
- Best Horror Film · Saturn Awards · 2006 · win; Best Frightened Performance · MTV Movie Awards · 2006 · win
- Production trivia
- The character of Emily Rose was inspired by the story of Anneliese Michel.; The film was not as successful as the director hoped.; Jennifer Carpenter's demonic bodily contortions were often achieved without the aid of visual effects.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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