Movie Review: The Exorcism of Emily Rose


October 6, 2025 11:37 AM CDT
By: Laura McKenna
Supported by
The fact that I waited 20 years to watch this movie is a crying shame!
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) combines two of my favorite kinds of movies: Courtroom Dramas and Scary Movies (especially the demonic possession kind).
For fans of the show Ozark, you’ll recognize Laura Linney. She plays the defense attorney that represents a Catholic priest on trial for the death of Emily Rose, a gal that died during an exorcism. She’s great in that role.
For fans of the show Dexter, you’ll recognize Jennifer Carpenter. She plays Emily Rose and she plays the role so well that they didn’t even use the dummy doll for the contortion scene in her dorm room because Carpenter was so flexible that she nailed it all by herself. She was really convincing.
The scariest part of all- The Exorcism of Emily Rose was based on a true story of the exorcism of a 23-year-old gal by the name of Anneliese Michel in 1976. You can read more about her horrifying demise HERE.
So this goes without saying anything more- WATCH THE MOVIE! If you waited as long as I did, it will quickly move into your Top 3 exorcism movies of all time. The Exorcist (1973), of course, will always be #1 but this now becomes my #2.
Know of another great scary movie based on a true story that Laura may have missed? Email anytime: [email protected]
And tune in weekdays starting at 10am to St. Croix Country & WCFW
or starting at 9am weekdays on 97.9 FM WGBW!

More Articles By Laura McKenna

02.17.26
In The Kitchen with Laura McKenna: Heart Healthy February Food of the Day
February is HEART HEALTH MONTH and every weekday from now until the end of the month, Laura McKenna is bringing you one simple food that’s easy to find in your favorite grocery store and even easier to incorporate in your diet. If you eat more of these foods, your heart will thank you! Wednesday February […]
Read More >

02.16.26
Movie Review: We Live In Time
This doesn’t happen all the time but every once in awhile I will break the norm by watching a movie outside my typical crime/thriller/horror/courtroom drama. We Live In Time (2024) was sooooooo good. And so worth the change of pace. I don’t want to spoil anything about this Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh movie because […]
Read More >

02.05.26
In The Kitchen with Laura McKenna: Big Game Garbage Trick
This is a trick that will work every time you host a party at your home- whether that be for the big game on Sunday or a holiday gathering. It never fails at every party- before you know it, the trash is overflowing. So take a few minutes pre-party to save a ton of time […]
Read More >

02.02.26
Movie Monday: I’m not the only one…
I have two movie reviews to share with you on this Movie Monday but they really do go hand in hand. First, the movie I watched over the weekend: Final Destination: Bloodlines As a big fan of the very first Final Destination (2000) and the logging truck scene from Final Destination 2 (2003), I set […]
Read More >




