Saint Clare (2024) Review

The world of horror and thriller cinema has seen its fair share of anti-heroes, from Hannibal Lecter to Patrick Bateman, but the latest entry in this dark lineage is Clare Bleecker, a teenage sociopath played by Bella Thorne in Mitzi Peirone’s sophomore feature, Saint Clare.

Based on Don Roff’s novel Clare at Sixteen, this film takes the familiar tropes of a morally ambiguous protagonist and attempts to mix them with a blend of Gothic fantasy, Southern noir, and religious symbolism. The result is a visually arresting but narratively convoluted piece that struggles to deliver on its intriguing premise.

From the outset, Saint Clare hooks its audience with the chilling declaration from Clare herself, borrowing from Joan of Arc: “Everything I have said and done has been in the hands of God. I was born to do this. I am not afraid.” It’s a bold statement that sets the tone for Clare’s journey – a journey marked by violence, self-discovery, and an unsettling exploration of divine purpose. Thorne’s performance as Clare is perhaps the film’s strongest asset. Known for her transition from Disney darling to indie film maverick, Thorne brings a quiet intensity to the role, seamlessly transitioning between the innocent facade of a Catholic schoolgirl and the cold, calculating killer who hunts the criminal elements of her small town.

The character of Clare is compelling, to say the least. She is not merely a killer for hire; she believes she is enacting God’s will, taking down those who, in her eyes, deserve it. This moral ambiguity is where Saint Clare finds its most interesting ground, inviting viewers to question the ethics of Clare’s actions. Is she a vigilante or simply a disturbed young woman? Thorne’s portrayal leans into this duality, delivering a performance that is both fierce and understated, embodying the contradictions of a character who is as much a victim of her own mind as she is a perpetrator of violence.

Mitzi Peirone, who received attention with her debut feature Braid, returns to the director’s chair with a keen eye for style. The film is visually striking, with cinematographer Nicolas Beauchamp capturing the humid, shadowy world of Southern small-town America in a way that feels both oppressive and alluring. Peirone uses the visual language of Gothic horror to great effect, with scenes bathed in religious iconography and drenched in a foreboding atmosphere that underscores Clare’s psychological turmoil. There’s a richness to the film’s aesthetic that draws you in, making the most of its low budget to create a world that feels both intimate and expansive. In fact, at times the visuals of the film seem a little too elevated for a film that lacks complexity elsewhere.

While Saint Clare excels in its visual presentation and the strength of its lead performance, it falters in its narrative execution. The film attempts to juggle too many themes – religious fanaticism, feminist undertones, the indifference of society to the plight of young women – and in doing so, it spreads itself too thin. What begins as a tightly wound character study of a young sociopath gradually unravels into a muddled exploration of societal ills, losing the sharp focus that the opening scenes promise.

One of the film’s central missteps is its attempt to incorporate a broader mystery involving a spate of missing girls in the town. While this subplot initially adds to the tension, it eventually overwhelms the main narrative, diluting the impact of Clare’s personal journey. The film’s 90-minute runtime simply isn’t sufficient to develop these multiple threads, and as a result, none of them are given the depth they deserve.

The introduction of Clare’s conversations with a spectral mailman, Bob (Frank Whaley), who may or may not be a figment of her imagination, further complicates matters. While these scenes provide some light relief and insight into Clare’s psyche, they ultimately feel tacked on, and the comedic undertones detract from the film’s momentum.

Moreover, the dialogue in Saint Clare often falls flat, lacking the weight needed to carry the film’s more ambitious themes. The exchanges between characters are frequently stilted and unremarkable, missing the opportunity to explore the complex moral questions that the story raises. This feels a wasted opportunity when you have Rebecca De Mornay and Ryan Phillippe in tow.

The film’s climax, though visually impressive, feels more conventional than the build-up suggests, opting for a resolution that ties up loose ends but fails to deliver the thematic punch that the story initially promises.

Saint Clare shows echoes of many films before it, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Constantine, The Babysitter and even An American Werewolf in London, and these are nice influences for a film that is predominantly aimed at younger audiences.

In the end, Saint Clare is a film that brims with potential but struggles to fully realise it. Bella Thorne’s performance and Mitzi Peirone’s direction help make it an engaging watch, but the film’s inability to balance its many ideas leaves it feeling scattered and unfocused.
It’s a film that, like its protagonist, is caught between worlds – part horror, part thriller, part social commentary – but ultimately, it doesn’t quite manage to settle comfortably into any of them.
For fans of Thorne and those intrigued by dark, character-driven narratives, Saint Clare offers enough to warrant a viewing, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that with a bit more discipline in the script and more action sequences, it could have been something truly exceptional.

Movie Rating:

Saint Clare had its UK Premiere at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024 and will be released on digital via 101 Films later this year – date TBC

Saint Clare clip