The Exorcism of Saint Patrick
Written and Directed by Quinn Armstrong
Starring Steve Pinder, Michael J. Cline, and Maya Jeyam
Runtime: 1 hour and 30 minutes
On demand August 27, part of the Fresh Hell trilogy

by Samantha McLaren, Staff Writer

It’s not often that a horror film leaves me quietly sad, but that’s the overwhelming sensation I’m grappling with after sitting down with The Exorcism of Saint Patrick, the sophomore feature of writer-director Quinn Armstrong (Survival Skills). And while I wouldn’t recommend the film for a fun first date watch, that’s certainly not a bad thing.

The Exorcism of Saint Patrick is the first in a triptych of horror films collectively known as “Fresh Hell,” all directed by Armstrong and made back to back on small budgets. Though each movie has interconnective elements, they tell complete stories and are aesthetically distinct, meaning it should be easy to pick your desired entry point rather than being forced down the pre-determined route that a standard trilogy presents. That feels important to note given that The Exorcism of Saint Patrick may be immensely triggering to some viewers, dealing with topics like conversion therapy, institutional abuse, and suicide.

The film centers around two men named Patrick: “Pat” (Steve Pinder), a pastor, and “Trick” (Michael J. Cline), a shy, bullied gay teenager. At the behest of Trick’s parents, Pat takes the teen to an isolated cabin in the woods to pray the gay away. But as the pastor’s “treatment” methods grow increasingly cruel, Trick begins to see troubling visions of those who have gone before him.

Despite The Exorcism of Saint Patrick opening with a glimpse into the torturous methods that conversion therapy can involve, Armstrong succeeds in unfurling the film’s evil slowly. Our first encounter with Pat is almost sympathetic: he is soft-spoken with kindly eyes, asking the nervous Trick how he’s feeling and assuring him that he doesn’t “need fixing.” But even before their initial conversation has concluded, Pat lets the veil of empathy slip just a little, manipulating the teen with promises of a “normal life” and the subtle threat that “gay folk, they just don’t go to heaven.” And suddenly, his eyes aren’t so kind.

It’s a controlled performance from Pinder, one that could easily have fallen into a caricature of a bible-thumper but which instead remains sinuous, deceptive, and all the more dangerous for it. That’s reflective of the film as a whole, with Armstrong’s script gradually peeling back the outwardly respectable layers to reveal something darker. Hikes through the pretty fall foliage are tainted with preachy punishments. Heart-to-hearts hide sinister motives. A quest to save a soul masks the grubby business transaction lurking beneath.

Like his script, Armstrong’s direction is extraordinarily patient. The film’s title might be reminiscent of a dozen jumpscare-laden knock-offs of The Exorcist (dir. William Friedkin, 1973), but The Exorcism of Saint Patrick is more concerned with letting us get to know Pat and Trick than it is with raising the viewer’s heart rate. Flashes of the supernatural are peppered throughout, but the true horror here comes from the uncomfortable reality of Trick’s situation, one that far too many vulnerable youths have experienced, and the entirely avoidable tragedy that the pastor’s pushing provokes. This is Cline’s first feature and he plays well off Pinder, his soft, anxious performance providing a strong contrast to Pinder’s unflinching one. The viewer is left with an unshakeable premonition of what will become of Trick, yet is powerless to do anything about it as Pat and the film lead him away to the slaughter.

One of the horror genre’s greatest assets is its ability to process painful subject matter like conversion therapy and provide a degree of relief. The Exorcism of Saint Patrick never quite reaches the gleefully cathartic heights that viewers may crave after spending so much time in Pat’s company, which may leave some frustrated. A little blood and a few unsettling practical effects reward the patient viewer, along with a powerful message delivered by Trick and Alana (Maya Jeyam), a former ward of the pastor. But The Exorcism of Saint Patrick is a film about a hell that’s all too real and, ultimately, all for nothing.

It's fitting that its view of damnation remains grounded, human, and small.