For Sale by Exorcist review
(Haunted) house hunters.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
For Sale by Exorcist
Directed by Melissa LaMartina
Written by Chris LaMartina and Rob Walker
Starring Emily Classen, John Dimes, Helenmary Ball, Tatiana Ford and Julian Ball
For Sale by Exorcist Review
There’s a line early in For Sale by Exorcist that becomes very important later in the story. It’s not important that you catch it. The movie doesn’t take a sharp right turn if you miss it. There’s a good chance that it will catch your attention, however. A question asked of the main character that goes unanswered. Something she’s never considered before that will come back to (literally) haunt her. It’s a moment that points in the direction that For Sale by Exorcist will end up going…assuring you that there is a purpose to the fun, yet seemingly directionless for a time, concept on display.
Susan Price (Emily Classen) is a real estate agent/exorcist. She cleanses haunted houses and finds them the right (living) tenants. She has no home of her own, however. Living out of cheap motel rooms and driving from state to state. When she decides to search for her own permanent residence…a few issues pop up to stand in her way. Namely…a rival realtor…and all the spirits she thought she had vanquished.
The question Susan fails to answer early in For Sale by Exorcist involves the fate of the spirits she removes from her haunted listings. Susan is asked how she knows the spirits are moving on to the afterlife. She doesn’t have an answer…and it turns out that her exorcisms are more like evictions. Though she believed she was doing right by the specters…helping them to move on with the help of mediums and holy men…it turns out she’s simply made them homeless. When Susan attempts to find her own home…she discovers that the spirits are not going to stand by and let her dreams come true.
For Sale by Exorcist uses a documentary format. Being a real estate agent/exorcist comes with some attention. The format never gets in the way of the story. Aside from characters asking why she has a film crew around…you’ll barely notice them. The format provides Classen with the opportunity to get some good laughs out of reactions shot towards the camera. It also makes the viewer feel more connected to the experience. Non-traditional narrative styles aren’t always the right choice when movies make them. This one suits For Sale by Exorcist perfectly.
Classen is very funny, and likeable, in the role of Susan Price. She brings a fun energy to the role. For Sale by Exorcist gets its laughs from several places…but Classen’s performance is the most consistent. Her reactions are gold…and her ability to tell a ridiculous story about past hauntings opens the film with the appropriate tone. She once cleared a hippie commune following their mass suicide over Richard Nixon’s election. The latest owners kept getting woken up by someone asking to bum a smoke. I was laughing from the start with For Sale by Exorcist.
The story cleverly ties Susan’s house hunting with her unknown mistakes. It leads to a satisfying conclusion which cleverly involves what I thought was a throw away joke earlier in the story. As it heads toward that climax…For Sale by Exorcist has a lot of fun with haunted houses. A succubus that fondles the male resident causes marital friction and needs to be removed. One of the biggest laughs in the movie comes from his wife’s attempt to attack the spirit. A couple obsessed with death needs to find a home that matches their interests. A great piece of comedy business occurs when they’re shown a house haunted by the scariest thing in their world…domestic bliss.
The breezy, fast-paced story flies by. I was honestly surprised when the movie entered its climactic moments. It had more than enough ideas to keep the momentum flying forwards. Susan has to deal with a massive problem if she’s ever going to find a place to call her own. A problem of her own, unintentional, design. For Sale by Exorcist delivers a fun time leading her towards a satisfying conclusion.
Scare Value
For Sale by Exorcist is a clever film that keeps its haunting fun and its punchlines funny. Emily Classen gives a wonderful comedic performance as Susan. The story finds a purpose to its unanswered question that shifts the movie from seemingly unconnected bits to an overarching idea. The documentary format allows you to feel like you’re a part of the hunt. An enjoyable ride from beginning to end.
3.5/5
