The Devil and Father Amorth
The Orchard | Release Date: April 20, 2018 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
46
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
1
Mixed:
13
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
63
Slant MagazineChuck BowenApr 17, 2018
The Devil and Father Amorth is a flimsy stunt, but in his blunt, slapdash way, William Friedkin locates the intersection existing between religion and pop culture—a fusion that insidiously steers political currents. Read full review
60
The New York TimesBen KenigsbergApr 19, 2018
If this documentary celebrates a crackpot, Mr. Friedkin is his match. The director’s blabbermouth tendencies and wry manner make him an enjoyable M.C. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesMichael RechtshaffenApr 18, 2018
While the slim sampler platter would be more at home on an "Exorcist" commemorative DVD release, the documentary, accentuated with unnerving bursts of music sampled from the works of neoromantic composer Christopher Rouse, should placate the rabid fan base. Read full review
60
The TelegraphRobbie CollinMar 20, 2018
The film is unquestionably a curio for converts rather than the meatier exploration it will leave many sceptics (including this one) hankering after, but it leaves you with plenty to chew on – along with that Satanic cadence echoing in your bones. Read full review
60
VarietyOwen GleibermanMar 20, 2018
It is often an oddly compelling tabloid foray, since it winds up shedding a crucial ray of light on the mad moment we’re in now. Whether or not you believe in the Devil, the film helps to color in how our culture got possessed. Read full review
58
IndieWireDavid EhrlichApr 18, 2018
The exorcism itself is the least entertaining thing about the movie, even though it eats up a sizable and unbroken chunk of the 68-minute running time. Read full review
50
The PlaylistKyle KohnerApr 24, 2018
The Devil and Father Amorth will polarize audiences, and while a good portion of Friedkin’s documentary will fail to change anyone’s minds, it will keep viewers gravitated to its sales pitch—the exorcism itself. Read full review
50
RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzApr 20, 2018
This all sounds like it could make for a fascinating movie. But The Devil and Father Amorth feels at once bloated and slight, like a DVD supplement puffed up to feature length (an hour and eight minutes, just long enough to be exhibited in theaters as a stand-alone title). Read full review
50
The AtlanticDavid SimsApr 19, 2018
The Devil and Father Amorth at times seems like it’s trying to set the record straight on exorcisms. Amorth is presented in the kindliest of lights, and the ritual seems to involve little more than intense prayer. But again and again, Friedkin can’t help but come off as an old showman dusting off his bag of tricks. Read full review
50
Entertainment WeeklyChris NashawatyApr 19, 2018
Whatever the case, you’re better off rewatching the fake Linda Blair movie. Read full review
50
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeApr 18, 2018
This would be an interesting subject to explore at length, with a host who didn't seem to be padding an opportunity for self-promotion with the trappings of science. Unfortunately, Friedkin goes overboard in the short film's final scenes, describing a second encounter with the possessed woman that was far more dramatic than this one. Read full review
42
The A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskyApr 18, 2018
The stuff is about as convincing as a chain letter and requires considerable padding, despite a slim running time. Read full review
40
Paste MagazineOktay Ege Kozak Apr 26, 2018
It bears an overall feeling that we’re watching a work in progress. Read full review
40
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlApr 18, 2018
It’s stuck between earnest examination of a case and exploitative hustle — and is unlikely to please the audiences interested in either. Read full review
25
The Film StageMike MazzantiApr 24, 2018
It’s a haphazardly constructed half-film, perhaps better issued as a YouTube clip than a feature a little over an hour. Read full review
20
TheWrapAlonso DuraldeMar 20, 2018
If you don’t believe in this stuff, then the film is exploiting a young woman with mental issues. And if you do believe, it’s hard not to question the devil’s strategy. Read full review
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