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Horror film

St. Agatha (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

St. Agatha (2019) movie poster

St. Agatha is a 2019 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, starring Sabrina Kern as Mary, Agatha, Jayson Warner Smith and Maximus Murrah. It runs 1 hour 43 minutes and earned $1.5 million worldwide. Critics gave it 63% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.8/10.

IMDb rating
4.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes
63%
worldwide gross
$1.5M
Echo Score
68
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St. Agatha (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 43m (103 min)
Genre
Horror
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is St. Agatha About?

The premise of St. Agatha without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In 1950s Georgia, a resourceful woman seeking a fresh start finds herself seeking sanctuary in a secluded convent. However, she soon realizes the silence within the walls is maintained through more than just devotion; secrets are deeply buried, and her resolve is severely tested. As she explores the unsettling environment, Agatha uncovers a disturbing truth about the nuns and their hidden agenda, forcing her to fight for her own freedom and protect her infant from a predetermined and troubling fate.

St. Agatha Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • female topless nudity
  • female rear nudity
  • female full frontal nudity
  • wet nude female
  • humiliation
  • torture
  • convent
  • pregnancy
  • nun
  • facial scar
  • vow of silence
  • flashback
+38 more
  • woman with a black eye
  • abusive father
  • card game
  • con artist
  • priest
  • sex scene
  • cowgirl sex position
  • vomiting
  • woman vomiting
  • eating vomit
  • blood
  • alcoholic
  • dead body in a bathtub
  • accidental drowning
  • child drowning
  • chloroform
  • chloroformed
  • locked in a coffin
  • force feeding
  • regurgitation
  • held at gunpoint
  • revenge
  • violence
  • nude pregnant woman
  • hallucination
  • nightmare
  • bear trap
  • caught in a bear trap
  • soup kitchen
  • cutting one's own tongue out
  • escape attempt
  • hit on the head
  • faceless people
  • vice
  • stealing a baby
  • baby mill
  • crushed ankle
  • broken ankle
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Cast & crew

St. Agatha Cast & Characters

Sabrina Kern leads the cast as Mary, Agatha, with Jayson Warner Smith as Mary's Father and Maximus Murrah as William. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in St. Agatha

· 6 more
From the director

More from Darren Lynn Bousman

More films directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, best-rated first: Tales of Halloween, Saw III, Saw II and Repo! The Genetic Opera.

Full filmography
Ratings

St. Agatha Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave St. Agatha 63% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.8/10. Our Echo Score gives it 68/100, strongest in art & craft (80) and weakest in rewatch factor (50).

68 /100

St. Agatha Echo Score Breakdown

St. Agatha delivers a competently crafted psychological thriller with strong atmospheric tension, though uneven pacing and occasional narrative lulls limit its impact. Critics and users alike note the film’s coherent direction, chilling visuals, and slick exploration of its nunsploitation premise. The performances are engaging, particularly in the lead role’s evolution, yet some plot beats feel predictable or overstretched. Despite these shortcomings, the film offers a memorable mood and a satisfying conclusion that holds overall appeal.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 80

    In terms of art and craft, the film’s visual style and direction stand out for their precise framing and bold atmosphere. The cinematography delivers claustrophobic compositions that reinforce the thriller’s tension, and production design supports the convent’s oppressive feel. Some sequences, however, feel slightly unfocused, tempering an otherwise striking aesthetic.

  • Character & Emotion 70

    When it comes to character and emotion, the film benefits from a committed lead performance that charts a clear arc from vulnerability to resilience. Supporting performances also contribute energy, though some secondary characters lack depth. Emotional stakes resonate in key confrontations, but the limited exploration of backstories constrains a fuller emotional connection.

  • Story & Flow 60

    In terms of story and flow, the narrative maintains a coherent throughline and culminates in a satisfying twist that rewards patience. Reviewers praise its shocking builds and thematic depth, yet the pacing frequently slows, and the plot relies on familiar genre tropes. Overall, the structure supports engagement despite a few predictable elements.

  • Sensory Experience 70

    When considering sensory experience, the film excels in generating a foreboding atmosphere through moody lighting, unsettling sound design, and decisive scare sequences. Chilling visuals and a tightly controlled soundscape amplify tension, while the balance of psychological and visceral horror remains effective. Some tonal monotony emerges in sustained slow builds, but the overall sensory impact is strong.

  • Rewatch Factor 50

    In terms of rewatch factor, the film offers moments of striking imagery and thematic resonance that may reward repeat viewings. However, its deliberate pacing and reliance on familiar tropes reduce the incentive for multiple watches. While standout scare sequences could draw audiences back, overall replay value remains modest.

Plot

St. Agatha Plot Summary

What happens in St. Agatha from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1957, a homeless, pregnant Mary, Sabrina Kern, flees her abusive father, Jayson Warner Smith, after the accidental death of her younger brother, Maximus Murrah, who plays William. With her boyfriend Jimmy on tour, she heads to a soup kitchen where a nun offers refuge in a convent, but the arrangement comes with hard rules enforced by the stern Mother Superior, Carolyn Hennesy.

Inside the convent, Mary is subjected to a tightening system of control. When she attempts to leave, she is drugged and renamed “Agatha,” and she is locked in a coffin that is opened only to be fed and to reinforce the nuns’ brainwashing. The atmosphere is claustrophobic, ritualistic, and designed to strip her autonomy away while presenting a facade of care.

Full summary

The whole story of St. Agatha, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

St. Agatha Box Office

St. Agatha grossed $1.5 million worldwide.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.5M

International
$1.5M
Videos

St. Agatha Trailers & Videos

The trailer of St. Agatha.

Official UK Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know St. Agatha?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
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  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
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  10. Question 10: not answered

What year serves as the setting for the story in St. Agatha?

Cars

Cars in St. Agatha

5 cars on screen, including the 1955 Chevrolet One-Fifty and the 1940 Ford De Luxe.

All 5 cars
  • 1955 Chevrolet One-Fifty in St. Agatha 1955 Chevrolet One-Fifty Minor role
  • 1940 Ford De Luxe in St. Agatha 1940 Ford De Luxe Minor role
  • 1939 Ford unknown in St. Agatha 1939 Ford unknown Minor role
  • unknown in St. Agatha unknown Minor role

Seen St. Agatha?

FAQ

St. Agatha FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of St. Agatha, each answered in a sentence.

How long is St. Agatha?

St. Agatha runs 1 hour 43 minutes (103 minutes).

When was St. Agatha released?

St. Agatha was released on February 8, 2019.

Who directed St. Agatha?

St. Agatha was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman.

More films by Darren Lynn Bousman

Who is in the cast of St. Agatha?

St. Agatha stars Sabrina Kern as Mary, Agatha, Jayson Warner Smith as Mary's Father and Maximus Murrah as William, among 10 credited actors.

How much did St. Agatha make at the box office?

St. Agatha grossed $1.5 million worldwide.

How is St. Agatha rated?

St. Agatha has 4.8/10 on IMDb, 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, 63 on Metacritic and 56% on TMDB.

Does St. Agatha have a post-credit scene?

No. St. Agatha has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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