Leap of Faith Review: A Fascinating and Frank Conversation About The Exorcist

Release date: November 19, 2020
Running time: 95 minutes
Starring William Friedkin
Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe

A SHUDDER ORIGINAL.  A lyrical and spiritual cinematic essay on The Exorcist, Leap of Faith explores the uncharted depths of William Friedkin’s mind’s eye, the nuances of his filmmaking process, and the mysteries of faith and fate that have shaped his life and filmography. The film marks the sixth feature documentary from Philippe (78/52, Memory: The Origins of Alien), continuing his thoughtful analysis of iconic genre films. 

Leap of Faith is a thoroughly honest conversation with Friedkin on his inspiration for and experience shooting the Exorcist.  Friedkin is very frank and doesn't pull any punches.  He also does not try to puff up his own intent or make his ideas sound more lofty than they are.  What I loved most about this is that he is very stark in his assessment; if he did something simply because he thought it was the right thing to do or it made sense at the time, he says it.  He doesn't try to sugar coat or add film weight to some of his choices, he just accurately relays what happens.  But in this conversation you can see the genius of Friedkin.  From his reasonable and important choices, to the references he uses, to his amazing recall of the filming process, Friedkin's talent shines through despite him not attempting to make it so.  

The Exorcist is one of the most iconic films in any genre, and is likewise one of the greatest horror films, and seeing this documentary lets you experience that over again.  The documentary is peppered with clips from the film interjected into Friedkin's conversation, which gives you great context to what he is discussing.  I enjoyed hearing the stories and seeing the clips from the movie, and having Friedkin's dialogue over them made it that much better.  He also tells some inside stories about actors he chose and didn't choose, and the reasons for it.  Some of this has probably already been published, but it was wonderful to hear this straight from the director's mouth.  It is a fascinating journey and one that I wouldn't normally expect to enjoy as much as I did.  

Leap of Faith is a fascinating and frank dialog about one of the most influential films ever made, with wonderful insights and amazingly honest critiques from the director.

Watch it.

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Leap of Faith is available to stream on Shudder starting November 19, 2020.