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The Exorcism of Emily Rose

(2005, Rated PG-13, Horror, Starring Laura Linney, Campbell Scott, Tom Wilkinson)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    A priest is on trial following a deadly exorcism.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–15

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Satan possesses a 19-year-old girl.
  • Violence:

    Some fighting when Emily is possessed, her body undergoes repeated contortions and abuses.
  • Sex:

    Some twisty body images during possession, not specifically sexual, but alarming.
  • Language:

    Anxious uses of "God," "hell," and "son of a bitch."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    The lawyers (including Erin) meet several times in a bar, where we see drinking (Erin especially) and smoking; Emily is put on medication.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Parents need to know that the movie, despite its PG-13 rating, includes gruesome imagery, sound effects, and especially explicit references to demonic possession, animalistic behavior, self-inflicted violence, and of course, questions concerning religious faith and skepticism. The material is somewhat complex, in other words, and may be troubling and even harrowing for younger viewers. The film opens with screams on a black screen, indicating her death, then cuts to her family's reactions, inside their farmhouse; it goes on to show still shots of the dead girl (emaciated, bruised, and wounded), scary scenes of her possession (body contorted, guttural sounds and screaming, fast cuts and dark rain/shadows), and standard horror movie scenes of characters walking down dark hallways, running in the rain, hearing sounds and seeing shadows, and seeing their clocks all show 3am (a witching hour explained in the film). A character is violently struck and killed by a car, characters drink, smoke, and use occasional, mild, harsh language.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the film's opposition of faith and science in the question of Emily's death. How does each approach fall short of explaining what has happened to her while also providing reassuring structure/resolution for those espousing these views? What is the effect of representing the case as a courtroom drama? How do Emily's visions or dreams become code for what's "real" and also for possible hallucination? How does the film combine subjective and so-called objective accounts of the events? How is Emily's family portrayed, as subordinate characters to the lawyers?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    I liked this movie, and that says something. I am known to my friends as a "horror-movie buff" and I thought this one was truly intelligent. I love that it was based on a true story. It wasn't the kind of movie with 'what's hiding in the closet' or slasher film, it was more like Stephen King books-made movies (i.e. Misery) and is now one of my favorite movies.

  2. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title off for age 16 and give it 0.0

    Dont let eleven year old watch film!

    I saw this movie and my kids cryed so hard and my eleven year old daughter had nightmares for a month and my sixteen year old daughter cryed and my husband covered his eyes! I almost cryed too! Some rating they gave it PG-13 was the wrong rating for that It should have been R!

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title off for age 16 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Negative message

    Very good, a terrifying, complex film!

    This movie is NOT for ANYONE under the age of 17! It is a very intricate web of demonic posession and courtroom drama, and while that may be enough to go over some of the younger viewer's heads, it is the horror scenes that will really get them. Jennifer Carpenter does a fabulous job in this film...she really sells it! It is very, very scary and there are lots of screams and body contortions. There are some cheesy horror movie gags, but they work here! I strongly recommend watching with the director's commentary on as you will get so much more out of this film! The story is mesmerizing, and it is actually quite sad at the end. Overall, it is a great movie but not for anyone faint of heart and not for children!

  4. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 1.0

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Arizona
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0

    pretty scary...

    this is a very powerful movie and parents should be cautioned. I was able to handle it, but some kids my age may not ba able to, so please think about it befor eyou allow your youngster to watch this! but teens ok!

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 5.0

    Intense...

    This movie is VERY intense. Some people are able to handle it, but others can't. I don't get scared easily, so I wasn't scared, but it did make me jump. This is one of those movies that stays in your head. It's an amazing movie, and a must-see for fans of non-gore horror movies.

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 1.0

    It was horrific!

    It was the dumbest, goriest, most idiotic movie ever!!! no one should see this it was stupid! it shouldve been at least R rated for the amount of violence and gore! And who ever made this is a sick twisted horrible person!

  8. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0

    Freakishly terrifying...far scarier than The Exorcist, 1973.

    This movie is EXTREMELY scary, and compared to The Exorcist, 1973, this movie blows that off the charts. The Exorcist was just about the girl and her head spinning. This one is the traumatization of what happens to the girl, and her experiences before her death. The story is extremely thick, and the horror happens every few minutes. Some parts drago on, but the flashbacks are freaking scary, disturbing!, and nightmarish. (If there was a PG-15, this gets it! Rated that for VERY strong language, INTENSE frightening scenes, STRONG religious matter, MILD sexual content ((spirits raising a shirt)), NOT RECOMMENDE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN)

  9. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

    Not scary, just terrifying in a shocking way!

    Wow. This is an EXTREMELY intense movie. If I had a different type of movie rating which was age minimum and then plus, I would have to say 16+. This movie is EXTREMELY strong in language (about 100 uses of the word hell) unless you are looking at it from a religious view, which is the way you are supposed to. The violence ins't bloody, but it involves slapping, possession, hair pulling, etc. There is constant reference to a drug that may have killed someone and there is some strong drinking. So 16+.

  10. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0

    Great movie.

    Loved every minute of it. Not bad at all, I even brought my little brother and some of his friends. I had a good time getting freaked out!

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 5.0

    A movie with a Spiritual Message...

  12. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    More Drama then Horror

    This movie has more of a courtroom case then an exorcism people are going to see. It is mostly courtroom. There are some scary sceans. It was kind of funny too.

  13. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 5.0

    no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i think this movie is for 13 and up becaus it is soo not a issue.

  14. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0

    The Exorcism of Emily Rose

    A good Horror/Drama but not for ages 13 and under, it might be too scary for the ones who get scared easy.

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