Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Play trailer Poster for The Exorcism of Emily Rose PG-13 Released Sep 9, 2005 1h 58m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
45% Tomatometer 155 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
The Rev. Moore (Tom Wilkinson) is prosecuted for the wrongful death of a girl thought to be demonically possessed, because he administered the church-sanctioned exorcism that ultimately killed her. Prosecuting attorney Ethan Thomas (Campbell Scott) contends that the young woman, Emily (Jennifer Carpenter), suffered from schizophrenia and should have been medically diagnosed. Meanwhile, defense lawyer Erin Bruner (Laura Linney) argues that Emily's condition cannot be explained by science alone.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Loosely based on a true story, The Exorcism of Emily Rose mixes compelling courtroom drama with generally gore-free scares in a ho-hum take on demonic cinema.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More (155)
J. R. Jones Chicago Reader The script is a lifeless succession of moral debates and stormy horror flashbacks, though I had a good time watching Jennifer Carpenter... Jun 28, 2022 Full Review Chris Stuckmann ChrisStuckmann.com One of very the few PG-13 horrors that actually does scare me, because it feels realistic, it feels adult, and it feels like there is real weight and dramatic implications. Rated: A- Oct 16, 2020 Full Review Paul Arendt BBC.com A classy 'boo!' movie for those who like their horror polite. Rated: 3/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Steve Biodrowski Cinefantastique "The film finds a way to justify its existence despite the inevitable comparisons to ["The Exorcist"], in whose shadow it will inevtiably stand..." Aug 25, 2010 Full Review Jeffrey Overstreet Looking Closer It avoids gratuitous gore and the shocks that provide the backbone of most horror films. ... [Derrickson's] more interested in the spiritual questions at hand. Rated: B+ Sep 21, 2007 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault A glum and undistinguished drama -- it's certainly nothing so crass as a horror movie, despite the spooky come-on of the marketing. Rated: D Jul 30, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More (1000+)
Alejandra C Honestly this is my favorite film from any other exorcism. Carpenter just hits the mark and its beautiful acting. I appreciated the movie despite being a lot in the court room. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/05/25 Full Review dave e These people with such low ratings are ignorant in my opinion. This was a great film that included a trial, a story and some real scary scenes. The court room drama is what the movie is really about, because only the people in the room saw what the girl went through. It's a step right behind the exorcist, trust me. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/01/25 Full Review Paul S This movie is the perfect blend of The Exorcist and Primal Fear (complete with Laura Linney). I've heard the horrifying story of Emily Rose before, but seeing it played out on the screen made it so much more terrifying and intriguing. When the movie was finished, I was left with so much doubt, trying to decide whether what happened to Emily was an example of religion-driven negligence or something truly sinister and supernatural. Laura Linney and Tom Wilkinson gave incredible performances, and this is one of the most compelling movies I have ever watched. I definitely recommend it for fans of horror and legal dramas! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/18/25 Full Review ROY Y In the landscape of horror cinema, few films manage to transcend their genre to become something more: a theological thesis, a legal drama, and, for some viewers, a therapeutic instrument. Scott Derrickson's 2005 film, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, is one such rarity. My engagement with this film was not one of casual viewership; it was a deliberate, strategic intervention to counteract the profound psychological and spiritual dissonance inflicted by a prior viewing of The Taking of Deborah Logan. Where Deborah Logan presented a terrifying portrait of spiritual anarchy—a world where affliction occurs without recourse to a legitimate, ordered system—Emily Rose provided the perfect antidote: a narrative grounded in protocol, reason, and the sober realities of faith confronting the modern world. The film's genius, and its primary source of healing for the analytically-minded viewer, lies in its structure. It is not, at its core, a horror film; it is a courtroom drama. This narrative choice brilliantly reframes the central conflict. The audience is not merely asked to witness terrifying supernatural events; we are empaneled as a jury, tasked with weighing the evidence presented by two diametrically opposed but equally valid worldviews: the empirical certainty of medical science and the revealed truth of Catholic theology. For an individual whose life is a constant exercise in applying analytical frameworks to chaotic data, this structure is a sanctuary. It takes the subjective terror of the supernatural and subjects it to cross-examination, transforming a spectacle of fear into an exercise in discernment. The film's most compelling success is its rigorous adherence to procedural reality. Father Moore, the priest accused of negligent homicide, does not act as a rogue agent. He operates within the established, lawful framework of his faith, seeking and receiving the explicit sanction of his bishop before proceeding with the Rite of Exorcism. This detail, so often omitted in other films, is the foundational pillar of the movie's integrity. It presents a world where even in the face of incomprehensible evil, there is a protocol. There is an established authority. There is order. This stands in stark, therapeutic contrast to the horror of a world where no such system exists, where one is abandoned to the whims of chaotic malevolence. This narrative is rooted in the tragic, real-world case of Anneliese Michel, a young German woman who died in 1976 after undergoing dozens of exorcism rites. The film does not shy away from the brutal consequences of this collision between faith and secular law. While the supernatural flashbacks are cinematically heightened for dramatic effect, the core conflict is brutally authentic. The diagnosis of epilepsy, the failure of psychiatric medication, the subsequent turn to spiritual intervention, and the resulting legal prosecution of the priests involved—all of this is a matter of historical record. The film forces us to confront a difficult truth: that genuine faith, when acted upon in the modern world, will inevitably be placed on trial. From a theological perspective, the film resonates deeply with what I have come to understand as the "Law of Testing and Tribulation." The defense raises the possibility that Emily was not merely a passive victim, but a "victim soul" who consciously accepted her immense suffering as a means to a greater spiritual end—to prove the reality of the spiritual realm to a skeptical world. This concept reframes suffering from a meaningless affliction into a purposeful, albeit agonizing, trial. It posits that the most intense spiritual battles are not a sign of God's absence, but of His profound, direct, and terrifying engagement. Ultimately, The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a profound success because it is a film for the thinking mind. It does not demand blind belief. It demands analysis. It respects the viewer's intellect by presenting a case, complete with expert testimony from both sides, and asks for a verdict. For me, the verdict is clear. This film is a masterful depiction of the sober, ordered, and legally perilous reality of the Catholic ministry of exorcism. It healed the wound left by a film that reveled in chaos by restoring a world governed by protocol, and in doing so, provided not just a compelling cinematic experience, but a necessary and profound intellectual and spiritual comfort. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/08/25 Full Review Forrest M "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" is a court room drama thriller that atheists would surely relish especially its theme of science vs religion as well as the the fraudulent concept of intellectualism or the philosophy that man has the capacity to explain everything in this world within the limits of his human mind including the infinite wisdom of God. But hey, the illness involved that Emily is allegedly suffering is epilepsy which doctors throughout the world have concluded that its cause is "unknown" and mental illnesses that doctors can only control through prescription medications but cannot cure and has no definite explanation for it. It is a movie that puts down religion particularly the existence of demons but magnifies faith in both science and medicine as well as great legal skills in winning a case. Hey, even O.J. Simpson got the innocent verdict despite being guilty!!!! Rated 1 out of 5 stars 07/29/25 Full Review Joshua T A generally well made movie on the subject matter that it explores: horror, possession, and faith. A faith-oriented viewer I think will do better with this one. Overall definitely worth a watch. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/10/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Exorcism of Emily Rose

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Scary Failed Exorcism The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Scary Failed Exorcism 2:14 The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Demons Among Us The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Demons Among Us 2:01 The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Demon Attack in Bed The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Demon Attack in Bed 2:16 The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Demons Are Real The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Demons Are Real 3:59 The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - The Devil in the Flesh The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - The Devil in the Flesh 3:37 The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Possessed in Church The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Possessed in Church 1:20 The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Creepy Possessed Girlfriend The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - Creepy Possessed Girlfriend 2:16 The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - The Exorcism Begins The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Official Clip - The Exorcism Begins 2:21 View more videos
The Skeleton Key 37% 58% The Skeleton Key Watchlist Darkness Falls 10% 34% Darkness Falls Watchlist TRAILER for Darkness Falls Boogeyman 11% 21% Boogeyman Watchlist TRAILER for Boogeyman Dark Water 47% 28% Dark Water Watchlist The Fog 4% 19% The Fog Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis The Rev. Moore (Tom Wilkinson) is prosecuted for the wrongful death of a girl thought to be demonically possessed, because he administered the church-sanctioned exorcism that ultimately killed her. Prosecuting attorney Ethan Thomas (Campbell Scott) contends that the young woman, Emily (Jennifer Carpenter), suffered from schizophrenia and should have been medically diagnosed. Meanwhile, defense lawyer Erin Bruner (Laura Linney) argues that Emily's condition cannot be explained by science alone.
Director
Scott Derrickson
Producer
Paul Harris Boardman, Beau Flynn, Gary Lucchesi, Tom Rosenberg, Tripp Vinson
Screenwriter
Paul Harris Boardman, Scott Derrickson
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
Firm Films
Rating
PG-13 (Intense/Frightening Sequences|Disturbing Images|Thematic Material)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 9, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$75.1M
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
Most Popular at Home Now