GRACE: THE POSSESSION

US, 2014, 87 minutes, Colour.

Alexia Fast, Lin Shaye, Alan Dale, Alexis Knapp, Brett Dier, Joel David Moore, Clarke Peters.

Directed by Jeff Chan.

A familiar story of diabolical possession and exorcism, set in a rather strict Catholic community (2014, d. Jeff Chan). When Grace is born, there are mysterious diabolical aspects to her mother’s experience (later revealed at the end that she had been raped by the local priest, Father John (Alan Dale). Her strict and possessive grandmother, highly judgemental about God, morality, brings Grace back from college. Grace becomes involved with the church, Father John still present, but a Deacon serving in the parish (Joel David Moore).

When grace becomes possessed, Father John and the Deacon calling in the local Bishop (Clarke Peters) and they perform the ritual, the revelation about Father John, the death of the sympathetic Bishop during the ritual, but the Deacon sacrificing himself so that the Demon will into him and liberate Grace. Grace has had a distinguishing scar on her abdomen, sign of the Demon entering her at birth. The Deacon, now the parish priest, is seen vested ready for Mass, and the audience glimpsing the diabolical scar on his wrist.

1. The popularity of possession films, exorcisms? The possessed, the clergy, rituals?
2. The setting of the small town, home, streets, the church (and the monastic structure of the church interior)? College, the campus, rooms, parties? The musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Grace? The prologue, her mother giving birth, diabolical atmosphere, the difficult birth, her death? Helen, grandmother, taking the child? The priest present, offering absolution from sin?
4. 18 years later, Grace, proper in her manner, old-fashioned dresses, going to college? (And no background what she was like as a little girl or in school.) Shy, awkward? Her room, her roommate, different in style and manner? Fiddling with her skirt? Her stomach scar? Settling in? On the campus, invited to participate in the tug-of-war, retiring to her room? In class, the encounter with Brad? The episode on the grass, asked about her virginity? The lipstick, her taking Jessica’s dress, going to the party, drinking? The emphasis on sexuality, the lecture theme?
5. The subjective camera and its effect, seeing everything from Grace’s point of view, seeing her only reflected in the mirror? And the distortions?
6. The episodes, her imagination, the violence, the distortions, the deaths? The behaviour of the party, her collapse?
7. Returning home with her grandmother, Helen and her strict religiosity, the phone call urging to pray, God? Narrow perspectives? Taking Grace to church?
8. The meeting with Father John, his stern manner, moralistic? The presence of the deacon and his talk about priesthood? His conducting the group in the parish, Grace going, her strange experience, turning seductive with the deacon, his resistance, the concern for the exorcism?
9. Helen, condemnation of her daughter, likening Grace to her daughter? Audience suspecting who Grace’s father was, the information that the priest had raped her mother?
10. The buildup to the exorcism, calling in the Bishop, the prayers, the rituals, the effect on Grace? Diabolical atmosphere? The knife, her killing father John? The Bishop, his death?
11. The deacon, his offer to take the diabolical possession, Grace restored, the deacon as a priest, in the sacristy, invited to celebrate the Mass, the subjective point of view and the wound on his wrist?