Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen comedy-horror tale has bullying, language, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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My Best Friend's Exorcism
What's the Story?
In MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM, Abby (Elsie Fisher) and Gretchen (Amiah Miller) are 16-year-old best friends who attend a Catholic school. Together with their friends Margaret and Glee, they go to Abby's family lake house to party and skinny dip. But after Margaret's sleazy boyfriend Wallace shows up with LSD, Abby and Gretchen sneak off to explore a rumored haunted cabin in the nearby woods. After hearing scary sounds and feeling separated from each other, they emerge, but Gretchen starts acting strangely. She acts out in school and tries to find ways to manipulate and humiliate her friends. After one humiliation too many, Abby looks in Gretchen's notebook and fears that the exploration of the cabin led to something sinister. She must find a way to get her friend back from the demon that has possessed her.
Is It Any Good?
This solid comedy-horror-thriller wallows in 1980s nostalgia as well as the very real horrors of being a teen. My Best Friend's Exorcism is a standard mix of '80s references paired with a tale of demonic possession. It's at its best when it gets into real issues like bullying and humiliating friends for coming out as gay at a time when these issues weren't adequately addressed. The seriousness of these issues is counterbalanced by some humor -- scenes involving the faith-based weightlifting team that comes to the Catholic school are hilarious and definitely a deep dive into '80s life.
Aside from this, it's a pretty standard demon possession story, and after a while, all the '80s references in the world can't cover that up. The acting is fine across the board and the story moves along, but it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. Nonetheless, it's a fun scare for what it is.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in My Best Friend's Exorcism. Was the bullying necessary to the story, or was it too much? Why?
This movie is set in the 1980s. How did it try to capture the pop culture and fashion of the decade? What are some other movies and TV shows set in the '80s that also reflect nostalgia for that time?
This movie was based on a novel. What would be the challenges in adapting a book into a novel?
Why are stories about exorcisms so popular? What do you think is the appeal?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 30, 2022
- Cast : Elsie Fisher , Amiah Miller , Rachel Ogechi Kanu
- Director : Damon Thomas
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Amazon
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Book Characters , School ( High School )
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Teen drug use, language, sexual references and some violence.
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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