Certificate: 15
Running time: 84 minutes
Starring: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Knight, Lily Frazer, Turlough Convery, Rosie Sansom
Directed by: Rose Glass
The story: A reclusive young nurse who is caring for a terminally ill patient becomes convinced that she is supposed to save the patient's soul.
The verdict: Saint Maud turned out to be one of my favourite cinema experiences of recent times. Firstly, because of the film itself which I will discuss in a moment. But the other reason that Saint Maud was such a good cinema experience was because of the reactions of the rest of the audience in the screening. Throughout, there was an atmosphere of bewilderment and tension - you could tell that people had no idea what to make of the film. One cinema goer left halfway through and didn't come back and when the credits rolled, several people left muttering their dislike of the film. Whilst the majority of the screening appeared to have disliked Saint Maud, I was not one of them. I absolutely loved it.
Saint Maud is a quiet and slow burn film which keeps you in a constant state of feeling on the edge. Though Saint Maud is billed as a horror film, it is not a horror film in the traditional sense of being outright scary. However, it is thoroughly chilling, creepy and uncomfortable. In a similar way to Ari Aster's Midsommar, Saint Maud makes you wince and has a visceral quality to it where it gets completely under your skin.
This feeling is enhanced by a simply terrific score. It is jarring and foreboding, and at points builds to a crescendo that feels as though it is permeating your soul. The film is shot really well and the muted tones play really well into mirroring the loneliness of Maud's life - a life which seems devoid of brightness and happiness.
The performances were great and particularly Morfydd Clark as Maud is just fantastic. She plays Maud with a quiet intensity that is incredibly effective at making the audience feel uneasy and wary of this frail, young woman.
I think that this film will be very divisive with audiences because it is a very understated horror and it is very unique. Saint Maud is a film which doesn't give its audience everything on a plate - it unfolds in its own time and throughout you are wondering what is going to happen and where it is going. Though some may find this frustrating, I loved this aspect of it. Throughout the film I was utterly engaged and on edge. I had ideas of where it might go but it didn't feel predictable or obvious, every moment that played out built the story in a way that only enhanced what I was watching.
I think overall that Saint Maud may very well be one of my contenders for film of the year. I had little prior knowledge of it and its effective simplicity really impressed me. The film is the feature directorial debut of Rose Glass and I think that it is a brilliant debut. I will eagerly look forward to seeing what she does next. The quiet tension, the unease and the creepiness of the film along with great performances and a highly effective score made Saint Maud a film that I already want to watch again. And on a quick side note - though Saint Maud is not a traditional horror, there was one moment that scared the living daylights out of me and I jumped right out of my seat. So, be warned!
The rating: ★★★★★
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