Saint Maud

How would a Saint in this modern world, with all of it’s hi-tech distractions, live? Operate? Handle his/her duty? Welcome to the journey that is Saint Maud. With it’s dark and dingy look, gaining all the more contrast when Maud’s serene and celestial visitations occur with the Divine Kingdom, not to mention, the voice of God itself. Maud is as close to one can get to witnessing a spiritually endowed being living amongst the heavily distracted and vain attitudes at our present juncture. Could you imagine St. Teresa de Ávila or Ghandi trying to offer spiritual guidance on the streets of Los Angeles or New York with all the hustle and bustle the metropolitan offers its hyperactive population?

Saint Maud is a magnificent first feature debut by Rose Glass. Her vision steadily persues Maud’s journey (performed with fragility by Morfydd Clark) not only through saving another soul from damnation, but leveling up her own mortal coil, to the heights of the Angelic Realm, back to where she belongs. Or was this all in Maud’s head? Delusions of Grandeur. Well, the denouement of the film sugguests an open ending, possibly to liberate the viewer as Spirituality often does, allowing for the benefactor to make their own decision...Saint or insane?

The Premise

A home care nurse, recovering from her own traumatic incident, becomes obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient.

What is arguably the greatest aspect of Saint Maud is that she’s not the traditional saintly, pious, figure that so many books portray the saints in. Not that true saints haven’t earned their rightful place in the canon of sainthood, no matter what faith you identify with, but many writings documenting their personal trials, tribulations, and darkest moments have been omitted from the lives of those spiritual giants. Or, literally, burned by the Vatican. Take your pick. One aspiring to strive for a life full of compassion and piety may feel completely overwhelmed, albeit hopeless, as the weight of our current world and all its contradictions begins to obstruct you. Even pound you into submission.

But have no fear, Saint Maud is here!

Recovering from a previous traumatic incident with her old nursing job, Maud mainly undergoes self-prescribed spiritual discipline and asceticism within her tiny closet one would call a flat (at least in the U.K.). That is, until, Maud’s passion and spiritual purpose is reignited with a home nursing position offered at Amanda’s manor; a vain dancer who’s also terminally ill. The conflict between one with immense faith (Maud) and one who is faithless (Amanda) is iconic. What makes this film so intriguing is that one feels that the two women represent two aspects constantly battling within the Self. The angel and the demon. The faithful and the faithless. Who will win?

In an era where spirituality or faith in religion seems to be dwindling, and faith in technological innovation is rising ever higher, many seem to be careless about any type of spiritual elevation at all. If this weren’t true Maud’s journey and mission wouldn’t be so difficult battling amongst the poor and derelict as so many real life saints of the past have encountered. One of the best scenes in the film is Maud’s visit to her local pub, as her own feelings of neglect and rejection overwhelm her. Yet, Ms. Glass cleverly uses this fall from grace moment, as a major driving force in Maud’s spiritual development and ascension. I’ll leave you with this final note, go see Saint Maud.

Dark and eerie, a little bit of gore, a whole lot of psychological thriller with some supernatural elements sprinkled on top, films like this are a dime a dozen in our current state of cinema. Which leaves me begging the question, should there be more faith in film?

Amanda: Am I indecent?

Maud: No, you are lost.