Saint Maud (2019): Where are these modern horrors coming from?!

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Those computer algorithms are making me look like a dummy. My film recommendations are very scattershot. Word of mouth, websites or random chatter from the ether. The stars align and I watch something new and it clicks with me.

Saint Maud is another entry within the modern horror entry without the Hollywood flair, just like I like em. Shot on location in England with a first feature director Rose Glass.

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Maud, a young nurse appears on the scene to aid a new client. A sick woman in the last stages of life is the scene setting. A former dancer attempting to live her previous life in the way she used to realizes that she cannot anymore. The nurse is a mousy, demure woman doing her duty to the best of her abilities. Adept, capable and religious. A perfect match so it seems until she runs into a former colleague by chance.

Questions begin to arise on this chance meeting. Clearly there is an unspoken event that has occurred between them. Maud, the nurse appears hesitant and dismissive with her former colleague. The small chitchat subsides after a small amount of time; the colleague hands Maud her phone number with a smile and tells her to call anytime for a drink or a chat. What can it be? Something is amiss and I want to know.

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The life of Maud starts to unravel, behavior that is not of her character starts to emerge. Random encounters in bars with strangers, alcohol consumption and unsightly visions and auditory cues begin to emerge. What is happening? We as the audience have no clue.

Everything becomes surreal and climaxes with a disturbing ending.

Playing with expectations is done tastefully and keeps the viewer engaged. The keywords of religion, British, mental illness and hospice are all present and executed well. Enjoyable and thought provoking. Those fade to black end cuts that end a film can be so effective if done properly and can make a film linger and hammer home the message; whatever you may think it may be. I was in the mood for a slow burn sense of dread and it delivered.

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Let's see what Rotten Tomatoes has to say

93% critics rating 66% audience rating

I'll side with critics again on this one. I'd give it a 75% myself. Very enjoyable. I hope I can keep up with the streak of entertaining modern horror. I know it can't last forever…

All media courtesy of themoviedb.org

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