My Best Friend's Exorcism Review: Funny and Gross Horror
The central group in The Craft, Lily and Amanda in the criminally overlooked Thoroughbreds, and Tatum and Sidney from Scream are just a few examples of female friendships that have supported some of the best horror films. These friendships occasionally become the scene of conflicts, be they minor disputes over social standing or major conflicts like wars for a friend's soul. One of the finest examples of this is perhaps Jennifer's Body, in which Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried spar about Fox's Jennifer and her penchant for teen guys.
When Abby (Elsie Fisher) and Gretchen (Amiah Miller) talk on the phone to say goodbye and just before embarking on a drug-fueled excursion at Gretchen's parents' lake house, they repeat the slogan "lylas" (love you like a sister). Gretchen and Abby explore a mysterious lakeside location with an altar during their tragic acid trip, and Gretchen experiences something when the two become separated. Gretchen displays characteristics of aggressiveness, melancholy, and antipathy to religious symbolism. It is obvious that whatever occurred to her left her with lasting scars. Abby is forced to take matters into her own hands when it comes to the demon that is possessing her best friend and wrecking havoc on her and her friends' life since she encounters resistance from Gretchen's parents, school officials, and friends when she tries to act on Gretchen's behalf.
Elsie Fisher is My Best Friend's Exorcism's greatest asset, which should not come as a surprise to anyone who has seen her outstanding performances in Eighth Grade and Barry season 3. With roles in this year's forgettable texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel and the horror film Castle Rock, Fisher is gradually establishing herself as a Scream Queen. In this situation, Fisher accentuates some of the lessons she learned from texas Chainsaw Massacre and eighth grade as she navigates the awkwardness of high school while attempting to save her closest friend's soul from a demon.
The lack of jump scares in My Best Friend's Exorcism is made up for by its attention to body horror, which includes but is not limited to tapeworms and pig carcasses. My Best Friend's Exorcism may not provide the classic horror thrill some seek, but its commitment to the 1980s milieu and the friendships at its centre make it feel like the uncommon horror book adaptation that enhances rather than degrades its source material.