Sorry About The Demon Review

Last Updated on February 8, 2023

PLOT: A young man struggling with a broken heart learns that his new place is full of restless spirits.

REVIEW: Breakups are tough and have been the fodder for movie plots since the dawn of celluloid. Yet there’s something about Sorry About The Demon that feels very unique. Probably the way it takes the feeling of a breakup and twists the knife with humor. Because imagine going through a bad breakup and being so in the dumps that even the demon that inhabits the house you’re renting doesn’t want your soul. You can see where the laughs are aplenty.

Sorry About The Demon opens with a family being haunted by a demon. They’re told that the demon won’t leave unless they sacrifice someone. Their solution is to have a friendless loser move into the house. This immediately won me because it’s such a ridiculous way to deal with the situation. It made this family instantly dislikable and had me rooting for the lead without even seeing him. It’s so simple yet goes so far as to give us a character that the audience will immediately attach to out of pity. Then it just gets better once Will is introduced.

Jon Michael Simpson absolutely rules as Will, the recently dumped and new renter. The film often relies on his charisma to carry the scene, and it absolutely works. I believe you could just set a static camera in front of the guy, and it’d be funny. He’s hilarious and provides most of the laughs. I could watch him not quite understand how life works for a whole film. But he also shows some range and proves he’s more than just a comedy guy. I also really enjoyed Paige Evans’ Amy, who plays a great love interest and a terrifying demon. This role could have been easy to come across poorly, yet she’s completely endearing.

Other than the wonderful cast, I think what works so well is the throughline of a possession story wrapped around a breakup. These tales often consist of a demon taking over a broken own person. So who better than someone who has recently had their heart stomped on? And since Will is such a lovable goofball, the proceedings are more entertaining than pathetic. If anything, I could have gone for even more of the demon insulting/messing with Will. If I had to knock anything, it would be the side characters being rather ineffective. I wish they’d have had a little more purpose. As is, they dragged the movie down.

Before this, I had only seen Emily Hagins‘s work from the opening segment in Scare Package. But I need to change that, as she provides a fast-paced, fun horror/rom-com with just the right amount of thrills. The music by Jeremy William Smith really sets the mood nicely. The score for indie horror often sinks into the background and doesn’t stand out. But whether it’s a romantic moment between Will and Amy, or a tense moment between a child and a demon, it always enhances.

The first half, which is very Will-centric, is what I enjoyed the most. I’ll always love a tragic schlub, and Simpson nails it. The second half, which is considerably more “rom-com” than I expected, loses a little of the luster. It gets to be more formulaic, and the laughs are less frequent. But I enjoyed the effects, and the film’s overall message is sweet. I’m sure it’s been said in review after review, but this is one demon you won’t be sorry about.

Sorry About The Demon is STREAMING ON SHUDDER JANUARY 19TH, 2023.

Shudder

GREAT

8