---
title: "Saint Maud: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/saint-maud/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/saint-maud"
critics_score: 80
critics_reviews: 28
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Saint Maud (2020): what the critics said

Critics' score 80 from 28 reviews: 23 positive, 2 mixed, 3 negative.

Most critics rate Saint Maud highly, and the praise is unusually consistent. Twenty-three of the twenty-eight reviews are positive, and nearly all of them name Morfydd Clark first: her Maud is called measured, vulnerable and unnerving in the same breath. Jennifer Ehle is the second most-mentioned name. Rose Glass, on her first feature, is credited with a confident, tightly controlled film, and several reviewers single out the close framing and sound design that keep the viewer inside Maud’s head, along with the bleak seaside setting.

The reservations gather at the end. Empire finds the final stretch too poetic for the film around it, and Total Film thinks the budget shows in the coda. The outright dissenters are few and mostly American, writing after the 2021 release there: Slant calls the portrait of fanaticism shallow, The New Yorker thinks Glass skims the details that would give Maud an inner life, and Polygon finds it too familiar to last. The spread is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, but the bottom is thin.

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Rating 5/5. 9 October 2020. 

O'Sullivan gives the film an emphatically positive verdict, calling it hauntingly perfect and worthy of success. She singles out Morfydd Clark’s performance for conveying Maud’s inner softness and pain.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/saint-maud-review-stunning-psychological-horror-is-hauntingly-perfect-a4567346.html)

## The Guardian — Mark Kermode

Rating 5/5. 11 October 2020. 

Kermode praises the film as an electrifying, shape-shifting psychological horror and a striking debut. He singles out Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle’s performances, along with the film’s fluid visual style and carefully orchestrated scares.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/11/saint-maud-review-a-chilling-nurse-on-a-mission-from-god)

## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen

Rating 5/5. 4 October 2020. 

The review calls the film the best British horror film since *Under the Skin*. It praises its startling seaside atmosphere.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/saint-maud)

## Variety — Guy Lodge

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2019. Festival review. 

Lodge calls the film a formidable, compassionate debut that balances horror with a searching character study. He especially praises Morfydd Clark’s blood-freezing performance as Maud.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/saint-maud-review-1203328167/)

## The i Paper — Geoffrey Macnab

Fi1m's normalised score 88/100 (inferred from the text). 8 October 2020. 

Macnab calls the film an exceptional, stylish and bone-chilling debut. He particularly praises Rose Glass’s blend of traditional horror with mordant social observation, and Morfydd Clark’s measured performance.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/saint-maud-review-exceptional-horror-debut-stylish-rose-glass-how-to-watch-692948)

## Empire — Ian Freer

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2020. 

Freer finds the film original, unsettling and surprisingly moving, praising Rose Glass’s ambitious, compassionate portrait of a troubled soul. He especially singles out Morfydd Clark’s vulnerable, powerful lead performance, while noting that the more poetic ending feels out of place.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/saint-maud/)

## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 28 January 2021. 

Walsh praises the film as a revelatory, compassionate portrait of faith entwined with mental illness. She especially commends Rose Glass’s efficient writing and nonjudgmental treatment of Maud’s complexity.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-01-28/review-saint-maud-horror-morfydd-clark)

## Sight and Sound — BFI

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2019. Festival review. 

The critic finds the film a powerful, deftly ambiguous psychological horror story. They single out Clark and Ehle’s performances and the close framing that locks viewers into Maud’s distorted perspective.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/saint-maud-morfydd-clark-jennifer-ehle-rose-glass-british-religious-horror-debut)

## IndieWire — David Ehrlich

Rating B+. 12 September 2019. Festival review. 

Ehrlich finds the film an unsettling and satisfying debut that commits to its ambiguous vision of faith and delusion. He praises its physical, suspenseful body horror and the performances of Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle, while noting that its didactic turns can make it feel small.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/saint-maud-review-rose-glass-1202173008/)

## Little White Lies — Anton Bitel

Rating 4/4/4. 7 October 2020. 

Bitel finds the film arresting and gripping, building queasily tense psychological drama around Maud’s crisis of faith. He praises the expertly performed opposition between Maud’s faith and Amanda’s secular outlook.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/saint-maud)

## Radio Times — Emma Simmonds

Rating 4/5. 

The review finds the film’s mix of religious fervour and mental instability provocative and discomfiting. It singles out the tense relationship between Maud and her patient as a central strength.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-q5doly/saint-maud/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Leslie Felperin

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2019. Festival review. 

Felperin finds the film a smart, sinister, arresting debut, though its unresolved ambiguity may frustrate some viewers. She praises Rose Glass’s layered storytelling and the film’s distinctive atmosphere.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/saint-maud-review-1238558/)

## Total Film — Matt Glasby

Rating 4/5. 9 October 2020. 

Glasby calls the film an assured, oppressive horror debut and one of the boldest in recent years. He praises Morfydd Clark’s performance and the film’s atmosphere, while noting that its ambitious coda is let down by the budget.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/saint-maud-review/)

## Screen Daily — Jonathan Romney

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2019. Festival review. 

Romney’s standfirst presents the film as a powerfully individual debut. It singles out the film’s distinctive individuality for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/saint-maud-toronto-review/5142206.article)

## The New York Times — Jeannette Catsoulis

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 28 January 2021. 

The review’s verdict and specific praise or criticism cannot be verified from the available page. The article body was unavailable, so its assessment is not summarized.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/movies/saint-maud-review.html)

## Slant Magazine — Chuck Bowen

Rating 1.5/4. 26 January 2021. 

Bowen finds the film a vague, monotonous dirge that preaches to the choir. He praises the early setup and one joltingly funny confrontation, but criticizes its shallow portrayal of religious fanaticism.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-saint-maud-is-a-single-minded-dirge-thats-hostile-to-faith/)

## The New Yorker — Richard Brody

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2021. 

Brody finds the film conceptually powerful but ultimately underdeveloped, with horror conventions undermining its psychological drama. He praises the contrast between Maud’s delusions and her surroundings, while faulting the film for skimming over the details that would give her inner life depth.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/saint-maud-reviewed-a-delusional-home-health-aide-trapped-in-a-horror-movie)

## The Skinny — Jamie Dunn

Rating ★★★★★. 7 October 2020. 

Dunn praises Saint Maud as an intense, highly confident debut likely to rank among the year’s greats. He singles out Glass’s claustrophobic, subjective filmmaking and the way Maud’s visions blur reality and delusion.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/saint-maud)

## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell

Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 2020. 

The critic calls it one of the year’s best films and praises its unforgettable, haunting finale. Morfydd Clark’s grounded central performance is singled out as a major strength.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a34233381/saint-maud-review-morfydd-clark/)

## The Playlist — Jason Bailey

Rating A. 16 October 2020. 

The critic calls the film a stunning debut and a triumphant arrival for Rose Glass. He especially praises Glass’s unsettling sound design and her ability to place viewers inside Maud’s perceptions.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/saint-maud-review-20201016/)

## Collider — Haleigh Foutch

Rating A-. 26 September 2019. 

Foutch praises the film as an alluring, steadily tightening horror story with a devastating finale. She particularly singles out the compelling performances by Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/saint-maud-review/)

## Consequence — Ryan Larson

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2020. Festival review. 

The critic calls Saint Maud a gripping, wholly unnerving debut and a standout in contemporary horror. They especially praise Rose Glass’s controlled direction and Morfydd Clark’s compelling, physically expressive performance.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2020/10/film-review-saint-maud/)

## NME

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review calls the film a remarkable debut and an essential big-screen experience. It singles out Morfydd Clark’s performance and the steadily mounting dread for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/saint-maud-review-2773327)

## Den of Geek — Rosie Fletcher

Rating 5 out of 5. 7 March 2020. 

Fletcher praises the film as an original, intensely disturbing horror debut. She particularly singles out Morfydd Clark’s performance and the inventive cinematography that reflects Maud’s mental state.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/saint-maud-review/)

## /Film — Meredith Borders

Rating 8 out of 10. 11 September 2019. Festival review. 

Borders praises the film as a distinctive, unsettling horror debut that is both funny and emotionally affecting. She singles out the performances of Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle, along with the film’s startling final moments.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/568977/saint-maud-review/)

## HeyUGuys

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review finds Saint Maud an exceptionally scary, unsettling film, despite a rushed relationship at its center. It singles out Morfydd Clark’s unnerving, convincing performance as Maud for particular praise.

[Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/saint-maud-review/)

## Paste — Andy Crump

Rating 5.9/10. 28 January 2021. 

Crump finds the film disappointing overall, despite its atmosphere and flashes of terror. He praises Morfydd Clark’s performance and Glass’s eerie cinematography, but faults the one-dimensional character and underwritten screenplay.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/horror-movies/saint-maud-review)

## Polygon — Jesse Hassenger

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 29 January 2021. 

The critic finds Saint Maud effective in the moment but ultimately too familiar and stiff to leave a lasting impression. He praises the performances and Rose Glass’s visual work, especially the scenes confronting Amanda’s impending death.

[Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/movies/22256322/saint-maud-review/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/saint-maud.md