This article discusses the ending of the Prime Video film My Best Friend’s Exorcism (2022) and will contain spoilers.
This quirky horror flick opens to 80s Ah-ha music with panoramic shots of the suburbs and two gossipy girls talking on the landline while doing a magazine quiz. Quickly and clearly establishing these two are best friends, they end the phone call with “LYLAS,” which stands for “love you like a sister.”
As we see their morning montage routine for school, it establishes that Abby (played by Elsie Fisher) and Gretchen (played by Amiah Miller) are complete opposites. One rich, one poor, one preppy, one nerdy, one pretty, one plain, but both attend the same seriously religious school.
While the parents are away, Margaret, who is one of their friends, gathers everyone to her parent’s cabin in the woods, where things get freaky and spooky as they get high and go skinny dipping (after playing with an Ouija board, of course). Running through the woods into a house, Abby and Gretchen are separated, and Gretchen is taken, dragged across the floor screaming, and we’re to assume something awful has happened.
Reunited and back at school, Gretchen is acting completely different; she’s pale, angry, and mean. She vomits on her friend’s boyfriend and goes to the bathroom in front of the entire class. This causes Abby to start investigating.
Firstly, Abby thinks Gretchen has PTSD from being raped, but Gretchen’s parents don’t believe her and blame Abby. They run with this theory of rape, causing the friendship group to break up. While Abby is trying to help, Gretchen’s thoughtless and careless actions cause her and Abby to fight.
This possession isn’t the typical one we’ve seen in many horror films; it’s a slow growing one, where something is interrupting her being, causing negative thoughts and self-harm. Very much mirroring how depression and anxiety are described by many until she is completely overcome and eventually possessed. Once possessed, the ‘old’ Gretchen is back, pretty and preppy, in her click of friends, causing chaos amongst them, making both Gretchen and Abby more and more isolated.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism ending explained
Towards the end, Abby seeks help from a god-loving man called Christian, who tells her that she needs to perform an exorcism. After all the hyper-feminist characters, I was a little disheartened that it’s an older man who comes to save the day with the answers and the plan. While he’s a quirky and not a hyper-masculine character (and quite funny), I really was hyped for Abby to find this out on her own.
As he throws salt onto a tied-up Gretchen, Abby watches on in discomfort and tries to stop the exorcism until the lights and room flicker and shake. Gretchen whispers ‘Andras,’ which is the name of the demon who has possessed her. Christian is hyped for this, getting his Gatorade. He’s pumped for part two of the exorcism.
The demon gains more power, messing with their heads and bringing their fears to light, such as the dark for Abby. Gretchen begins to fight her. Abby is weaker and losing but reaches for a weapon and reads from the bible. Gretchen runs into her weapon and then flees into the woods and back to the cabin where she was first attacked by the demon. A full-circle moment.
Abby confesses her undying love in friendship for Gretchen, and this draws the demon from her body by vomiting. Showing that the power of friendship knows no bounds and is more powerful than creatures of evil. The vomit builds itself into a demon-skeleton-goblin-looking thing and begins to attack the girls; they both team up and fight back, setting the demon on fire and killing it. Girl power!
The final shots are of Gretchen and her family packing up the car as they are moving house. Gretchen runs over to Abby, and we know even though this is goodbye, their friendship will last a long time.
Ultimately, this film is about friendship, growing up, and battling all those inner demons we have throughout our lives.. and that it’s okay to ask for help. I think all characters, in some way, were fighting an inner fear/demon and came away more knowledgeable and stronger. With a big hug goodbye, the film ends with classic 80’s Culture Club music as Abby drives away. There is a fun ending credit sequence showing where all the characters are now, tying up any loose ends. Nice touch!
What did you think of the ending of My Best Friend’s Exorcism? Comment below.
