Ending Explained
A similar transformation takes place in Damon Thomas' comedy horror adaptation of Grady Hendrix's My Best Friend's Exorcism. Also, more emphasis on "high school evil." Because when Abby Rivers' (Elsie Fisher) best friend Gretchen Lang (Amiah Miller) is possessed by a demon, she steals her boyfriend, body shames her, and publicly humiliates everyone but Gretchen.
Jennifer Body
Like Jennifer's Body, My Best Friend's Exorcism's unique brand of horror comedy is inseparable from the high school scene – although it doesn't pack quite the same terrifying punch.
In Thomas' film, Abby deals with teenage challenges, from acne to inappropriate crushes to Catholic school teachers. Gretchen's possession doesn't overturn this normal teenage life; shines a bright light on it. The change in Gretchen manifests itself in more than nightmares and pale skin. Abby's best friend turns into a classic "preppy girl" almost overnight, making her the perfect character to highlight the everyday horrors of '80s high school life, diet shakes and all.
It's a fun subversion of the teen horror genre, though I wouldn't exactly call it clever or even scary. The same can be said for how the film replaces the religious tropes of exorcisms with the power of friendship. (It's meant to be sweet, though it doesn't lean campy enough for my liking.)
Arguably the most entertaining part of Exorcism of My Best Friend is Christian Lemon, the 80's Christian training (and exorcism) guru. But the sweatband-wearing "Jesus freak" exists primarily as an object of mockery, giving way to the real hero: Abbie, who knows nothing about exorcisms ("I'm Jewish," she declares angrily when Christian asks if she's baptized). But he knows his love for Gretchen.
Most exorcism movies have strong religious undertones, which My Best Friend's Exorcism is very aware of and tries to challenge – even if it doesn't take the criticism anywhere, it does so in a fun way. Instead, it focuses on other topics.
Instead of the "Christ conquers all" mantra (which Hendrix recognized as a not-so-universal message in his novel), the film advocates a friendship that conquers all kinds of teenage struggles and insecurities. So the way that My Best Friend Exorcism goes to promote female friendship over all the high school horrors that can happen to a person is sweet, even if the message is hammered over the head.
In the end, the film isn't funny enough to be a strong comedy. It's not scary enough to be a strong horror movie. Nor is it campy enough to rock both of these and still claim a cult following for Jennifer's Body.
In My Best Friend's Exorcism – as Needy Lesniki in Jennifer's Body says – “Hell is a teenage girl”. But hell is also to be without it. It's a cute and provocative premise, but it doesn't lean in any meaningful way to make the message of My Best Friend Exorcism more than it is: saccharine pseudo-horror.