Ava Dobkins is recovering from demonic possession. With no memory of the past month, she is forced to attend a Spirit Possession Anonymous support group. As Ava struggles to reconnect with her friends, get her job back, and figure out where the huge bloodstain in her apartment came from, she’s plagued by nightmarish visions – the demon is trying to come back.
A highly entertaining and remarkably clever black comedy that manages to deliver on almost every front, Ava’s Possessions is a refreshing break from the slew of Exorcist clones that have been released as of late. Living in a reality where demon possession is so commonplace that the government has compulsory self help groups for survivors, our protagonist wakes to find herself recovering from a troubling bout of body theft. With her life in apparent shambles after her possession, Ava works at picking up the pieces and begins rehab as to avoid the jail time she accumulated while under the infernal influence. All is not as it seems though as Ava’s starts to piece together the chaotic events that led to the very large bloodstain on the floor of her apartment.
Visually, the film is beautifully crafted. It has a very bleak, dystopian feel with the majority of humanity either narcissistic or nonchalant. There is a very purposeful use of color; pale blues and turquoise often contrasting a stark red, all in a very dark, somber world. A lot of effort went into making the film atmospheric and artistic, which is usually reserved for the big box office films like Crimson Peak.
The humour is very dry and is not what I would call laugh-out-loud funny. Instead, the writers rely more on some very well placed one liners and some quirky comebacks, making it very tongue-in-cheek for most of the movie. The film really isn’t exactly what I would call a horror movie either – more of a noir detective flick splashed with magical realism. Whatever it is, it worked.
Ava’s father: “Are you, uh, are you still smoking marijuana?”
Ava: “Are you seriously blaming me for getting possessed?”
Ava’s father: “I mean, it’s a gateway drug, okay?”
That line killed me. I probably found it so funny because my parents actually tried to exorcise me at some point during my teens (no BS) and I’m pretty sure I was asked the same question. Overall, Ava’s Possessions is a movie that hit very close to home. Smart, witty humour and an entertaining plot with a pretty solid cast to boot. Check out the teaser and trailer below. Definitely recommended viewing.
