Saint Maud 2019

Maud, a young woman portrayed by Morfydd Clark, begins her journey in a hospital, where she is shown sitting quietly in a darkened room, her face streaked with blood. On the other side of the room, her patient lies dead, and Maud is fixated on a roach crawling on the ceiling above her. This haunting opening sets a tone of darkness and emotional turmoil that pervades the film. Sometime later, Maud decides to leave that disturbing environment behind and packs her belongings, offering a prayer before starting a new chapter as a caretaker for Amanda Kohl, played by [Jennifer Ehle], a woman suffering from stage 4 lymphoma that has spread to her spinal column. Amanda is a former dancer and choreographer, and her condition is terminal, with her remaining days seemingly limited.

Maud’s first interactions with Amanda are marked by a mixture of curiosity and reverence. She meets Amanda’s last nurse, who bluntly describes her as “a bit of a cunt,” a remark that hints at the complex and strained relationships Amanda has with those around her. As Maud settles into her caregiving role, she begins to experience a profound spiritual connection, often talking to God and feeling an otherworldly presence that grants her feelings of ecstasy. Amanda, despite her illness, confides in Maud about her own fears of death, revealing the depth of her vulnerability. During her time with Amanda, Maud observes her refined manners and hinting at her past vitality, which starkly contrasts her current frailty.

Maud’s caregiving duties are complicated when Amanda receives visits from a male visitor and is seen paying Carol, a young woman who is also a sex worker, for companionship. Maud becomes visibly uncomfortable with Carol’s presence, feeling that the relationship might interfere with Amanda’s chance at salvation and spiritual peace. This concern demonstrates Maud’s intense religious convictions and her desire to protect Amanda’s soul.

A brief reunion occurs when Maud encounters Joy, a friend who calls her by her real name, Katie. They share a tense but meaningful conversation where Joy provides her with a phone number, hinting at Maud’s troubled past and the help she might need. When Carol visits again, Maud sternly instructs her to stay away from Amanda, fearing the influence of her company. Despite her protests, Maud remains firm, believing she is trying to save Amanda from losing her faith and heading toward damnation.

Amanda throws a birthday party involving several guests, including Carol, which deeply frustrates Maud. During the celebration, Amanda publicly mocks Maud’s faith, causing her to lash out and physically confront her, which results in Maud losing her job. This act emphasizes the clash between Maud’s devout beliefs and Amanda’s rebellious, cynical attitude.

In her despair over her perceived abandonment by God, Maud seeks out companionship at a local pub. Her attempts at connection lead her to briefly engage in sexual activity in the bathroom with a man, showcasing her loneliness and need for human contact. However, she struggles to integrate into social groups, and her hallucinations worsen—she perceives swirling beer glasses and encounters a larger man named Christian. Their encounter becomes intense, with Maud experiencing disturbing hallucinations of performing CPR and crushing Christian’s chest, revealing her fragile mental state. Christian, played by [Turlough Convery], hints at Maud’s past as a party girl when mentioning her history as Katie and her past promiscuity.

Later, Maud approaches Esther, Amanda’s new nurse, played by [Rosie Sansom], seeking information about Amanda’s relationship with her. When Esther storms off, Maud is left feeling more isolated. Throughout the night, Maud experiences supernatural phenomena—cloud formations speaking in foreign languages and possessing her in her room—pointing toward a spiritual or demonic influence that seeks to communicate with her and give her a task.

Her mental state deteriorates further when she visits Amanda’s house alone. Amanda, now appearing softer and more repentant, admits she faked her earlier spiritual experiences, mocking Maud’s faith by declaring that God isn’t real. Enraged, Maud lunges and stabs Amanda to death in a violent outburst fueled by her unraveling psyche. This tragic act encapsulates her descent into madness and her inability to reconcile her faith with her reality.

The film culminates in a harrowing, symbolic scene where Maud, dressed in a white robe, walks to the beach. She douses herself with acetone, igniting herself with a lighter. As flames engulf her, she appears to grow wings of fire, and a radiant light shines down upon her. The crowd around her looks on in horror and awe, and she seems to ascend in a divine or demonic transformation. The final shot reveals Maud burning and screaming in agony, a stark and powerful conclusion to her tumultuous spiritual journey.

Throughout this haunting story, themes of faith, mental health, and the supernatural intertwine with unsettling imagery and intense emotional rawness. The film leaves viewers contemplating whether Maud’s experience is divine, demonic, or a manifestation of her fractured mind, cementing its place as a disturbing meditation on hope, despair, and the search for meaning.