"Saint Maud" is unholy brilliance

Rose Glass's brilliant writing and directing debut explores a horrifying religious tale.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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It isn't any secret that I love A24. The unique films that they distribute (and produce) have gotten me on board to become a big fan of the company, and it's films like "Saint Maud" that reaffirm my love for A24. After months (or has it been years?) of waiting for this film to release, I can confidently say that the wait was worth it. This film had been delayed time and again (mainly because of covid), and I am so glad it is now available to stream.

Where do I begin? The camerawork is great. There are a lot of safe shots, and there isn't anything groundbreaking, but the images depicted are captured brilliantly. So many of the shots are like an old painting (see the image above), and I mean that in the best way possible. You could almost picture some of the scenes as a painting on a wall.

Rose Glass's script is quite interesting, with each topic explored fully and satisfyingly. How far is too far when believing in something? This movie really makes you consider your own belief in organized religion. It doesn't tell you how to think about it, it just tells you to think about it. That is one of the true beauties of this script - it doesn't preach at you. It shows you a woman who is completely lost in her life who turns to religion to be found. Religion is her answer for everything.

That woman who hyper focuses on religion is played by Morfydd Clark. Morfydd Clark is truly wondrous to watch. She manages to let the viewer into her world, into Maud's world, so beautifully. Her expressions, her emotions, and her feelings all came through to me so clearly that I felt them with her. Her chemistry with Jennifer Ehle is also beautiful. Jennifer Ehle manages to steal a lot of the scenes she is in, but both actresses on screen together is truly something to marvel at.

The horror in the film isn't something that makes you scream. It isn't something that makes you throw up because of how gross it is - nothing like that. Without spoiling anything - the true horror is knowing that her religious beliefs were controlling her. She thinks everything she does is justifiable and good because of her religious beliefs. It probably makes it scarier if you have a friend or relative that is somewhat of a religious fanatic. Someone that makes their decisions because their beliefs/belief systems tell them to do it.

Of course, the film isn't without its faults. As I mentioned, there is nothing groundbreaking about some of the cinematography. That's not to say that the simpler shots are bad, quite the opposite. They are executed with finesse, but more variety throughout the slower parts would have helped move the story along.

The reason this film is not rated higher than four stars is because of the second act. The slower parts in the script really show up in the second act. The first act is paced well, and the third act is paced perfectly as it gets into the meat of the horror. The second act could probably be trimmed a bit, and it feels as though some scenes were drawn out for far too long. Some of the moments in the third act are actually ruined because the second act failed to continue the setup the first act provided.

Overall, this horror flick is a fantastic debut that I am so happy is finally available for everyone to watch. It truly deserves the praise it is getting and deserved the hype it received pre-release. This movie will surely piss off the religiously-extreme, but if you don't mind opening up a conversation with yourself about your own beliefs then you should watch this film. Your mind will work, and you will ponder on a lot of things you know about organized religion, all while watching a fantastic movie.

Want to see how "Saint Maud" ranks in my 2021 films list? https://boxd.it/aPQpg

Here's how "Saint Maud" ranks in my A24 films list: https://boxd.it/92VzI

86/100

Enjoyment: A+

"Saint Maud" is playing now in theaters, and streaming on EPIX (you can get a one-week free trial through amazon channels!).