Saint Maud

(note: this movie was originally released sometime early last year, but due to Covid its release in the States was delayed numerous times before going indefinite. I stumbled upon it on Hulu, and already knowing about it, I had to check it out. If this is something you've heard of but hadn't gotten to see, or if you don't know but want to know, read on.)

"It takes nothing special to mop up after the dying. But to save a soul..."

     A24 seems to have found a niche in thickly settled, prodding psychological horror thrillers. The Witch, Hereditary, The Lighthouse, and so on, each installment explores individuals in over their heads regarding forces they cannot comprehend. Or even believe. This year (finally) we get Saint Maud, the newest adventure in trudging creepiness. And while it delivers on its premise and tone with a committed lead, its the trademark ambiguity that continues to make these hit or miss.

     Saint Maud follows the trials and tribulations of...Maud (Morfydd Clark), a young hospice nurse tending to the needs of one Amanda Kohl (Jennifer Ehle), a retired performer who is dying of stage 4 Lymphoma. After a cold open (served with a side of foreshadowing) it's established early on that Maud is simple and analytical. Isolated. Her narrations throughout help demonstrate her intelligence, how observant she is. It also provides the lens in which she views the world, and that lens is old fashioned pious tradition. Like, way traditional, penance rituals and all (some of which made my whole body tense with unease).

Source: Den of Geek

     Maud, in her former life as a nurse, experienced an accident (or was it?) with a patient, and after some time, found herself renewed in the light of God. She is completely loyal to Him (experiencing bouts of physical ecstasy), and actress Morfydd Clark does a great job channeling Mauds inner passions. Writhing up the stairs or slithering on the floor, she sells the big moments as much as the smaller, nuanced moments that capture Mauds reclusiveness and sadistic self destruction. Some moments you'll catch are enhanced visually, only to sell the deeper turmoil literally bubbling underneath her surface.

     Taking every moment as a test or sign, she sees her care for Amanda as her newest highest task, attempting to save her soul from her vices. Amanda is essentially the polar opposite of Maud: out going. Loose. She has friends. And she shouldn't be trying to enjoy her remaining days on earth drinking with friends, having fun. She should be trying to save her soul dammit! Maud attempts to share her deep appreciation of God to her ("It's like he's physically in me..."), and a small friendship begins to blossom. To say anymore would hint at where the conflicts go, but rest assured things slowly escalate. Mauds need for destiny and, more specifically-affection-come to a head, in more than one way.

     Director Rose Glass, for her debut, achieves the perfect visual tone for what she's seeking. Everything is shot rather confined, in Amanda or Mauds apartment, and yet each moment has its own unique sense of drawing you in. In the real world things are open, dreary and wet, with a slummy undertone that you could say contributes to Mauds internalization. There's also a lot of visual play, such as spirals manifesting and other illusions of grandeur, that help sell the battle of her soul.

Source: Bloody Disgusting

     The one drawback, as with most of these independent films, is the ending. These films walk a tightrope between, to borrow the name of a Live song, "Selling the Drama," and losing it. Usually there's a lot of style along with substance, where story serves the ethereal atmospheres, but too much and it feels like it's trying too hard. This has a nice balance of narrative linearity and style. I liked the ending. The issue is that things with Maud felt a bit too ambiguous to justify the more extravagant displays of her piousness, which in turn may leave some scratching their heads. There are other acts of self mutilation implied but never elaborated on. We don't know if what she's experiencing are full on delusions, if these things are really occurring, a bit of both, or what. How you interpret the ending (which definitely lead me to my own sad conclusion) will define that for you I guess, but I would've liked a bit more to think about, and how the flashback of her accident contributed to her visions and current state of mind. 

     This doesn't match the suffocating nature of Hereditary or the schizophrenic funhouse of The Lighthouse, but this certainly offers a solid, distinctive chapter in A24s psych-horror catalogue. I would even suggest that it could serve as a companion piece to A24s other religion-orientated title, First Reformed. If you want something new and something to make your face go "uhhh...", then check this out.

8 shoe sole nails out of 10

But that's just my opinion. What do you think? Comment below and be a part of the conversation!