Fantasia 2020 review: ‘Anything for Jackson’ puts a unique twist on the exorcism trope

The first virtual edition of Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival is here! In the coming days, we’ll be presenting capsule reviews of a number of films screening at the festival, filmmaker interviews, and much more. All of our 2020 Fantasia coverage can be found here. For the full schedule and tickets, head to the Fantasia screening site. 

Exorcism films have grown into a burgeoning horror sub-genre, but Anything for Jackson puts a unique spin on that well-worn trope, just one of the many surprises to be found in this great new Canadian horror film.

Canadian screen icons Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings play Audrey and Henry Walsh, an elderly couple grieving the loss of their grandson, who was killed in a car accident. Desperate to see him again, they begin looking into Satanic rites to bring him back and concoct a plan to kidnap a pregnant woman named Becker (Konstantina Mantelos), and perform a reverse exorcism, planting their grandson’s soul in Becker’s unborn child.

That’s a pretty out-there premise, and things only get crazier once the couple brings Becker into their home and start the Satanic rites. Director Justin G. Dyck, working from a screenplay by Keith Cooper, skillfully navigates the black comedy and horror elements (including some outstanding creature designs), while rooting all of the insanity in the couple’s grief and Becker’s insane predicament. With strong performances, a completely unpredictable script, and some truly unsettling moments, Anything for Jackson is a thrillingly strange ride.