The Exorcism of My Best Friend Review
The film stars Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) as Abby Rivers, a self-aware teenager who will do anything for her best friend Gretchen Lang (Amiah Miller) – even if it means saving her from actual demonic possession.
Abby and Gretchen are best friends. They call each other "LYLAS" every time they leave. That is, "I love you like a sister." Soon they will be separated indefinitely: Gretchen's family is moving two states away, so Gretchen will finish high school somewhere else.
Luckily (or so it seems), the friends are able to enjoy a weekend at a secluded cabin with friends Margaret Chisolm (Rachel Ogechi Kanu) and Glee Tanaka (Cathy Ang) before Gretchen leaves.
After taking acid given to them by Margaret's boyfriend Wally (Clayton Royal Johnson), Gretchen and Abby decide to go for a night out. They eventually come across a lonely warehouse, and Gretchen calls out to Abby, who hesitates inside. But something inside scares both girls and they run away. Gretchen walks away, but Abby keeps running, hearing Gretchen's voice, letting her know she's behind her.
But it's a trick. The real Gretchen is still in storage. And he was pulled by something off-screen.
When Abby realizes her friend isn't with her, she enlists Margaret and Glee to help her find her friends. And they find him alone in the stable. "Where did you go?" Gretchen asks Abby accusingly. Earlier that day, he had promised her that he would never leave her.
Gretchen is not the same after this incident. He stops showering, digs at his own skin, and has chapped and dry lips. He also behaves differently.
At first, he just seems depressed - like he's had a bad acid trip. But eventually the demon takes over more. He gives Margaret dangerous "diet shocks" and causes her to nearly starve herself to death. Then he steals Margaret's boyfriend. He gives Glee a brownie full of nuts, which causes her to have a severe allergic reaction. He insults and embarrasses Abby in front of all her classmates.
Fortunately, neither Margaret nor Glee die from Gretchen's plan, but both are rushed to the hospital for treatment.
It's from Gretchen's notebook and back to the abandoned barn that Abby realizes something bad is up with her friend. And you need help to save him.
Abby goes to religious exercise guru Christian Lemon (Christopher Lowell) for help. A few weeks ago, the Lemon brothers performed at Abby's high school (their gimmick is "Lifting Weights for Jesus"). During the performance, Abby noticed how indifferent Christian was with Gretchen's behavior.
Now she tracks him down and asks what he knows. Christian tells her that Gretchen is possessed by a demon. He's willing to help with the exorcism, but warns her: It won't be easy.
Abby is able to break into Gretchen's house and drug her. He and Christian then lock her in the bed at Margaret's family's vacation cabin. Christian torments the demon by invoking God's name and throwing holy water on Gretchen. Finally, the demon gives up its name: Andras. But Abby already knew that. The name "Andras" was painted on the wall of the shed Gretchen first owned.
Christian continues his efforts to exorcise Andras, but the demon presents him with trouble when it takes the form of Christian's dead mother. This is too much for him. He runs away, leaving Abby to deal with the situation alone.
Gretchen escapes her ties and fights Abby, who has no idea how to exorcise the demon "in the name of Jesus." He is the only Jew.
So Abby tries something else. He summons the strength of his friendship with Gretchen. After listing the various things that he and Gretche have in common, he tells his best friend that he loves her. Andras finally erupts from Gretchen and Abby burns the demon.
Before Abby and Gretchen find the vault, they jokingly mess with the Ouija board Margaret pulls out.
They spell out the letters “M-I-N” before stopping the practice and laughing. But that was probably Andras trying to talk to them. "Mine," he says repeatedly of Gretchen later. "M-I-N-E," the Ouija board would spell.
It wasn't books and crosses that saved Gretchen from Andras, it was Abby's friendship. And now their friendship can win.
The Exorcism of My Best Friend ends with Gretchen walking away, but the best friends promise each other "LYLAS" - they will love each other like sisters.