My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

Insensitivity towards Gretchen’s dysmorphia cuts a skinny dip in the lake short and sets the central BFFs on a collision course with a dark entity at the heart of the woods and a series of well-observed misunderstandings that will have you humming Tubular Bells for days. They also share the painful reality of inhabiting a body you hate. In particular, they make poignant use of Abby’s crippling self-consciousness about her spotty skin and the careful make-up mask she wears to face the world. My Best Friend’s Exorcism is based on Grady Hendrix’s popular YA novel and director Damon Thomas and writer Jenna Lamia have managed to carry across much of the tangible horror that simply existing as a teenage girl can bring. Unfortunately just as giggles and shivers are lifting their spirits, Margaret’s jock arsehole boyfriend Wallace (Clayton Royal Johnson) materialises to share crude comments and owl-printed acid tabs. However, uncharacteristic tensions have been brewing lately so a weekend break at Margaret’s family’s lakeside cabin sounds like the perfect opportunity to reconnect.īreaking out the Ouija board might not sound like a wise idea when you’re staying across from an infamous murder house but it has an irresistibly spooky appeal for the friends. Margaret (Rachel Ogechi Kanu) and Glee (Cathy Ang) round out their friendship group and together the girls form a supportive and tight unit essential for surviving life at their uptight, purity-obsessed Catholic high school.

So far they’ve supported one another through acne, body dysmorphia, religious zeal, inappropriate crushes and high school…there’s no reason to think that a little thing like demonic possession will come between them.

My Best Friend’s Exorcism is the latest example of this pleasing new twist on the genre and, although far from perfect, it’s an endearing and entertaining ride.Ībby (Elsie Fisher) and Gretchen (Amiah Miller) have been as close as sisters since fourth grade and have every reason to believe they’ll be best friends forever. The recent outpouring of love for Netflix’s Do Revenge has demonstrated that there’s an appetite for a modern and more malevolent take on the classic teen movies we revere.

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix