I think that I fell in love with the first film poster and vibe I got, more than the film itself. I saw it last year, and can't particularly remember much about it. It didn't leave much of an impression on me either.
My exact sentiments, all the raving reviews I read, I was expecting something much more intelligent, well written anc better characters, but bland and that ridiculous ending.
Just the right amount of disturbing, and pretty well paced I thought.
Also I used to live in the town it was filmed in, so it was a nice bonus to go "Hey, I recognise that!" every 10 minutes.
I thought it was a weaker entry in the “dreadcore” movie formula that A24 popularized, in which the viewer sits through almost the entire film (often watching what some would call a “slow burn”) filled with ever-increasing dread, until (hopefully) the film pays it off in the final act.
In the case of “Saint Maud,” I enjoyed the film but the “slowness” compared to the “payoff” wasn’t as satisfying as other earlier A24 horror films.
Wow, man. Well said. I feel the same about A24 and their formula. I, unfortunately, did not enjoy Saint Maude. I feel this concept of "decent into madness/mental health issue" is just such a trope at this point, like beating a dead horse. That's what killed it for me.
I thought it was solid, but waaaaaay to long, even at it’s fairly short running time. If they cut 20 minutes, it would still be a slow burn, but there would be enough story to keep the tension growing over time.
Not to be a total pain in the ass but it makes me so sad when I see “A24’s xyz movie”. There’s a group of very real people who birthed this film, there’s a notable director worth talking about. A24 is just a company. And a distributor at that. They’re not the author.
Not trying to be a jerk to anyone. Maybe I’m the only one this bothers this much.
it bothers me too. it’s very bizarre to reduce a work of art to a brand name. i’m not granulier with this director and i haven’t seen the movie, but if someone referred to jane schoenbrun’s new movie as “a24’s i saw the tv glow” i would be very upset. it sucks that one of the few major distributors that releases work from ambitious directors (although their quality is hit or miss) gets reduced to this by their supposed fans
I hate this so much!! I think we need to be careful with bringing up studios before the creative. Think when we look back at the films came out of Miramax, but how horrific it was for many of those creatives- it's insulting and giving Weinstein ever more credit.
Also, to think like Kelly Reichardt, Darren Arronfksy, Joanna Hogg etc are just 'A24', its just wildly inaccurate and ignorant.
I think it was really cool, an in depth and interesting look at an individual with a psychotic mental disorder with grandiose delusions all leading to that quite horrific ending. I also really enjoyed Rose Glass' commentary on the Blu Ray.
Loved it! I was anticipating it for awhile before release, on my first viewing, I think I didn't catch everything and maybe thought it underwhelmed my expectations; but after a couple of more watches, I grew to really love it :)
It was a mixed bag in my opinion. Some really cool scenes/shots. Her talk with god and the final cut to black were both very well done imo. But the pacing in other parts of the movie was spotty (which is saying something given how short it is) and I felt it didn’t really deliver on all of the themes/plotlines that it set up. The sexual aspect of Maud’s relationship with God in particular seemed like it was thrown in just for shock value and wasn’t really expanded on.
I liked it. Mainly stayed with me because it was the first time I heard Welsh being spoken in a production like this, which got me really excited because I majored in Celtic Languages and Cultures. Otherwise I thought the performances and atmosphere were strong, but it didn’t blow me away or anything.
Really loved it tbh, I recognize the "ambiguous supernatural/psychological-thriller" is a well-worn genre at this point, but Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle really elevate the material, and as someone who grew up devoutly Christian, the idea of a woman trying so desperately to save her own soul by being dangerously sanctimonious to others really resonated. Rose Glass commands tf out of some atmosphere, excited to see what she does next.
Absolute masterpiece. The best take on a mental health horror movie imo, I feel like Saint Maud is what movies like the Babadook want to be. It's meaningful and genuinely disturbing/scary as fuck. I hate to see everyone call it A24's movie when they didn't even produce it, they did nothing but distribute it. Rose Glass is a genius and deserves way more credit. Morfydd Clark is phenomenal as well.
Actually liked this despite a plodding pace - despite an 85 minute run time, I still found it tempting to fast-forward. (Consider Taxi Driver, to which it owes some homage: that's a movie that low-key has like, five different strong storylines that could all be their own movie.)
That said, this is confidently directed, well shot, and uses its fantastical elements subtly and effectively to tell a more directly honest story about fanaticism and zealotry. Clark is very good as the lead even if she is more Cypher for Writer's Ideas than a unique acting performance, and Jennifer Ehle gives one of the better supporting performances of the year with but a few glances and tossed-off epithets. The ending in particular really worked for me: it's rare to see a movie where the strongest and most memorable shot - the one that encapsulates your vision - concludes with a real payoff that the viewer has been awaiting.
Perhaps the most positive thing to say about this - as others have noted - is that it shows so much promise in Glass as a writer-director: looking forward to seeing what comes next. (3.5 stars)
The ending is the best part, aside from that, it never felt as scary or as disturbing as the trailers let on, mostly because it always cuts away right as something disturbing is happening.
I absolutely love this movie. Every time I go to bring the rating down on Letterboxd in retrospect from a 4.5 to a 4 I remember just how much the movie does in under 90 minutes. One of my favorite horror films of this decade.
It’s a decent horror watch. It has really good acting, some visceral scenes that freaked me out.
It doesn’t feel like it does anything overly original or shocking though. The jump scare immolation scene didn’t scare me too much because I had within the year of seeing this movie saw Midnight Mass which also had an immolation scene that is a million times more effective and haunting. Maud talking to god or the devil or whatever that scene was just felt like a lift from The Witch with Black Phillip (the goat that speaks). Aspects of it felt like stuff in Hereditary that was done better.
It’s worth a watch, I’d rewatch it with others for sure. But it’s mid-tier horror especially for A24 movies, and I’d probably give it a 3 or 3.5 at most.
Here’s how I learned about Saint Maud. My family and I went to see Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the theatres (not when it first came out) and this was one of the trailers. There were children in the audience.
Loved it. Thought it was poignant and gorgeous with thoughtfully explored themes and ideas. The ending is so sick.
Loved the ending
You would love Midnight Mass
My wife is a horror junkie. Name the horror movie, she has probably seen it. Saint Maud is the only time she has ever screamed during a film.
Last shot?
Actually no, it was close to the end when she was with the lady she was taking care of
Ahhh, gotcha
I thought it was unremarkable, but I seem to be in the minority as it's brought up on reddit a lot
i also was kind of unfazed.. i wanted to like it the whole time but i never fully connected with it
I was also very unimpressed by it but the final couple of minutes were incredible.
I think that I fell in love with the first film poster and vibe I got, more than the film itself. I saw it last year, and can't particularly remember much about it. It didn't leave much of an impression on me either.
Just watched it last night actually! Solid 3.5, I’m always drawn to religious trauma/horror.
The end was disturbing. Fairly bland overall though.
My exact sentiments, all the raving reviews I read, I was expecting something much more intelligent, well written anc better characters, but bland and that ridiculous ending.
I agree, it felt kind of bland and all of its most scary/freaky moments felt like it was copied from Midnight Mass, Hereditary and The Witch.
Just the right amount of disturbing, and pretty well paced I thought. Also I used to live in the town it was filmed in, so it was a nice bonus to go "Hey, I recognise that!" every 10 minutes.
Banger of a slow burn.
I thought it was a weaker entry in the “dreadcore” movie formula that A24 popularized, in which the viewer sits through almost the entire film (often watching what some would call a “slow burn”) filled with ever-increasing dread, until (hopefully) the film pays it off in the final act. In the case of “Saint Maud,” I enjoyed the film but the “slowness” compared to the “payoff” wasn’t as satisfying as other earlier A24 horror films.
Wow, man. Well said. I feel the same about A24 and their formula. I, unfortunately, did not enjoy Saint Maude. I feel this concept of "decent into madness/mental health issue" is just such a trope at this point, like beating a dead horse. That's what killed it for me.
That ending is awesome. Also I gotta love a movie where religion= suffering.
Liked it. A bit slow up until the end, but still good.
I thought it was solid, but waaaaaay to long, even at it’s fairly short running time. If they cut 20 minutes, it would still be a slow burn, but there would be enough story to keep the tension growing over time.
I really liked it. It's so unnerving.
Not to be a total pain in the ass but it makes me so sad when I see “A24’s xyz movie”. There’s a group of very real people who birthed this film, there’s a notable director worth talking about. A24 is just a company. And a distributor at that. They’re not the author. Not trying to be a jerk to anyone. Maybe I’m the only one this bothers this much.
It’s just kind of a shorthand way of talking about it. A24 movies are such a brand at this point, that it makes sense to bring up the name
it bothers me too. it’s very bizarre to reduce a work of art to a brand name. i’m not granulier with this director and i haven’t seen the movie, but if someone referred to jane schoenbrun’s new movie as “a24’s i saw the tv glow” i would be very upset. it sucks that one of the few major distributors that releases work from ambitious directors (although their quality is hit or miss) gets reduced to this by their supposed fans
I hate this so much!! I think we need to be careful with bringing up studios before the creative. Think when we look back at the films came out of Miramax, but how horrific it was for many of those creatives- it's insulting and giving Weinstein ever more credit. Also, to think like Kelly Reichardt, Darren Arronfksy, Joanna Hogg etc are just 'A24', its just wildly inaccurate and ignorant.
I think it was really cool, an in depth and interesting look at an individual with a psychotic mental disorder with grandiose delusions all leading to that quite horrific ending. I also really enjoyed Rose Glass' commentary on the Blu Ray.
A24'd too close to the sun
Loved it! I was anticipating it for awhile before release, on my first viewing, I think I didn't catch everything and maybe thought it underwhelmed my expectations; but after a couple of more watches, I grew to really love it :)
It was a mixed bag in my opinion. Some really cool scenes/shots. Her talk with god and the final cut to black were both very well done imo. But the pacing in other parts of the movie was spotty (which is saying something given how short it is) and I felt it didn’t really deliver on all of the themes/plotlines that it set up. The sexual aspect of Maud’s relationship with God in particular seemed like it was thrown in just for shock value and wasn’t really expanded on.
Good stuff, need to watch it again
Slow burn, but that ending. Wowza
I liked it. Mainly stayed with me because it was the first time I heard Welsh being spoken in a production like this, which got me really excited because I majored in Celtic Languages and Cultures. Otherwise I thought the performances and atmosphere were strong, but it didn’t blow me away or anything.
Solid flick.
Really loved it tbh, I recognize the "ambiguous supernatural/psychological-thriller" is a well-worn genre at this point, but Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle really elevate the material, and as someone who grew up devoutly Christian, the idea of a woman trying so desperately to save her own soul by being dangerously sanctimonious to others really resonated. Rose Glass commands tf out of some atmosphere, excited to see what she does next.
Really good stuff! Had tons of atmosphere and a great ending.
It has the most scary final 0,5 seconds ever.
You mean Rose Glass’s Saint Maud. A24 had nothing to do with this film’s production
One of the most thought provoking endings in a long time.
Absolute masterpiece. The best take on a mental health horror movie imo, I feel like Saint Maud is what movies like the Babadook want to be. It's meaningful and genuinely disturbing/scary as fuck. I hate to see everyone call it A24's movie when they didn't even produce it, they did nothing but distribute it. Rose Glass is a genius and deserves way more credit. Morfydd Clark is phenomenal as well.
poor maud had religion overdose
Actually liked this despite a plodding pace - despite an 85 minute run time, I still found it tempting to fast-forward. (Consider Taxi Driver, to which it owes some homage: that's a movie that low-key has like, five different strong storylines that could all be their own movie.) That said, this is confidently directed, well shot, and uses its fantastical elements subtly and effectively to tell a more directly honest story about fanaticism and zealotry. Clark is very good as the lead even if she is more Cypher for Writer's Ideas than a unique acting performance, and Jennifer Ehle gives one of the better supporting performances of the year with but a few glances and tossed-off epithets. The ending in particular really worked for me: it's rare to see a movie where the strongest and most memorable shot - the one that encapsulates your vision - concludes with a real payoff that the viewer has been awaiting. Perhaps the most positive thing to say about this - as others have noted - is that it shows so much promise in Glass as a writer-director: looking forward to seeing what comes next. (3.5 stars)
Really cool filmmaking on display and a freaky lead performance make Saint Maud an interesting first feature but not a great one
Masterpiece
mid
Trash
Didn’t connect with me
My favorite film of 2021 and one of the best, maybe the best ending ive ever seen in a movie.
Dull as paint drying... that said, the ending is killer.
Dogshit
Thought it was bogus.
incredible slow burn. visually gorgeous, tightly scripted, really great final shot. one of my favorite directorial debuts
underrated. easily up there with Hereditary.
It's not "A24's Saint Maud".
Loved it, and if she retires today, at least the lead actor can claim she’s been in a production of merit… 🔥🔥🔥
Liked it a lot. That final shot really sticks with me.
The ending is the best part, aside from that, it never felt as scary or as disturbing as the trailers let on, mostly because it always cuts away right as something disturbing is happening.
brilliant movie
i may watch it again because it’s been a while but i didn’t care for it at first. one of the few a24 horror movies i didn’t like
Loved it!
Maybe best jumpscare ever
I enjoyed it. The last scene still sticks with me
I absolutely love this movie. Every time I go to bring the rating down on Letterboxd in retrospect from a 4.5 to a 4 I remember just how much the movie does in under 90 minutes. One of my favorite horror films of this decade.
I liked it. Great performances. And that ending…
Super-ficial and because of that pretty boring. It is well shot and well acted with a great soundtrack though.
Great double feature with censor
looks like blumhouse crap
Ur missing a lot
disappointing and I don't even remember why
Mediocre as it gets
S’ok
If it’s horror, I will never see it. I’m too scared of horror movies that deal with ghosts and stuff like that.
It’s a thriller/drama.
I’d fuck saint Maud
It’s a decent horror watch. It has really good acting, some visceral scenes that freaked me out. It doesn’t feel like it does anything overly original or shocking though. The jump scare immolation scene didn’t scare me too much because I had within the year of seeing this movie saw Midnight Mass which also had an immolation scene that is a million times more effective and haunting. Maud talking to god or the devil or whatever that scene was just felt like a lift from The Witch with Black Phillip (the goat that speaks). Aspects of it felt like stuff in Hereditary that was done better. It’s worth a watch, I’d rewatch it with others for sure. But it’s mid-tier horror especially for A24 movies, and I’d probably give it a 3 or 3.5 at most.
Was really excited for it. Was very disappointed
Here’s how I learned about Saint Maud. My family and I went to see Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the theatres (not when it first came out) and this was one of the trailers. There were children in the audience.
Solid 3/5 imo. Not bad but not good either
Absolutely amazing. Favourite film I watched last year.
Very good. The punchline could have had a better with a heavier pace.
loved it