At first glance, Saint Maud is similar to another “demon possessed” horror. But it’s actually very different, if you don’t want to say the opposite. Rose Glass’s directorial debut as well as impressive writing tells the story of a woman, who is increasingly falling into madness as she tries to find God’s way. If usually religion (especially through prayers on exorcism) is a source of help in supernatural horror, here the opposite is true. Top Movie
After a traumatic incident at the hospital, Katie (Morfydd Clark) changes her profession from a nurse to a private nurse, changes her name to Maud, and deepens Catholic teaching. His newest patient is Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), a former dancer and choreographer, who has terminal lymphoma. Their relationship grew closer, after Maud brought Amanda closer to the “path of truth”. Thanks to his success in assuaging his fear of death, Amanda called Maud a “savior.”
Maud, who had been convinced that God had prepared a bigger role for him, felt that he had found a way of life, which was to save Amanda’s soul as she approached her last days. Intentions that sounded noble, so that Maud tried to start controlling Amanda’s life. He even asks Carol (Lily Frazer), whom Amanda regularly pays to have sex with him, not to come anymore. According to Maud, Amanda should wait for death without being disturbed by all activities that smelled of worldly hedonism.
Carol agreed with the request, but from her response, we all know it was just by mouth. But not with Maud. Through the monologue in her heart came the girl’s relief, that “all was going well.” Maud is so naive, and the monologues that appear regularly throughout the film serve to emphasize this element of characterization. From there we know how naive the protagonist is. He doesn’t keep a hidden agenda. He truly believed, all his actions were done as a servant of God. Best Movie Site
Maud was utterly naive and straightforward, even the slightest cheating in card games annoyed him. “It’s no fun if you cheat”, he said to Amanda. This condition causes his mind to rage, when he realizes that things are not going according to expectations, and that there is a possibility, God did not really prepare a big plan for him.
The process of mental degradation that Maud is experiencing is the main focus of this film, which will eventually lead to tragedy. Tragicomedy, to be precise. Glass gave birth to complexity, aided by the greatness of Morfydd Clark to bring Maud to life, who on one occasion provoked pity, but on another made me want to curse while laughing at him. How Maud is getting drunk by religion is clearly a tragic journey, but as happens at the closing moment of the film, there is an urge to laugh at his “stupidity”.
In the realm of directing, Glass follows a non-mainstream horror formula, especially the one produced by A24: slow tempo, utilizing the atmosphere through music and visuals, and suppressing the quantity of jump scares. Styles that are no longer new, even in alternative scenes, have become clichéd. But like James Wan in the mainstream, Glass is so good at handling this alternative formula, that every terror always manages to appear tense. Whether it creates shock, disgust, pain or discomfort, through choosing the perfect timing. Regarding the slow tempo, don’t worry that Saint Maud will be boring, because the script has prepared several unexpected “twists”, which constantly replenish the appeal of the plot. Movie Review