Directed by Melissa LaMartina and written by Chris LaMartina and Rob Walker, after years of exorcising haunted houses, realtor Susan Price finally finds her dream home – until the spirits she’s evicted return, threatening to make it her final resting place. Now, she must banish them for good. Starring: Emily Classen, John Dimes, Helenmary Ball, Julian Ball and Tatiana Ford.

Going into For Sale by Exorcist, it is basically ninety percent comedy, but it can still sneak its way into the horror genre, and it’s a film that horror fans will likely appreciate. It has a silliness that’s almost Scooby-Doo-esque, driving out pesky ghosts with a perky attitude. Something that goes really well with its mockumentary style, helping it to build an oddball charm, which in turn is bolstered by Susan’s (Emily Classen) personality. It’s unusual to find Susan’s style of southern drawl in a horror flick, granted there is the gritty, gravely, cannibal kind of way but it’s not so often the folksy colloquialisms and friendly manner makes an appearance. It’s a nice change of pace and contrast to have such a bubbly personality that’s in constant contact with dark entities.

She’s absolutely the star of the show, there are other memorable appearances but it’s all about her and to Emily Classen’s credit, she pulls it off effortlessly. For such a theatrical performance, it never feels over the top, which is actually quite impressive. It’s not an easy thing at all to add a note of sincerity into a comedy like this but Classen does it well. She’s able to add layers to Susan, fleshing out the character and balancing the silliness with something almost heartfelt. It may not be truly emotional, but it doesn’t need to be, simply having that organic note really brings everything together.

Something that also needs to be attributed to the writers as they do a great job of creating those fun, playful scenarios but also building a satisfying journey for Susan. One with a particularly appropriate and creative ending, which is something that deserves a great deal of credit. Coming up with a satisfying, entertaining and unique ending is tricky in both horror and comedy, and Chris LaMartina and Rob Walker wrote something that was imaginative and a perfect match for the character. The story as a whole may feel like it’s treading the same territory and when things take a turn for the sexual, it feels like they’re going for low-hanging fruit, but it is entertaining throughout.

For Sale by Exorcist doesn’t actually have that many exorcisms but it does have a fantastic leading character who is brought to life excellently and charmingly by Emily Classen. She has a nicely quirky ensemble behind her and together they all create a fun, oddball bunch. The directorial style keeps things simple, following along as Susan gets herself into some unusual situations. The story draws on a lot of familiar notes of horror and weaves them into its own little ghostly comedy.

Verdict: ✯✯✯½ | 7/10

Available On Demand from March 11