Sleeping with the Devil tells the story of a teenage Alisa Yang (who is also the director) as she attempts to appease her mother by meeting with famed exorcist Bob Larson in order to cast out her demons. When Alisa was younger, after a series of troubling events, she decided that God no longer existed and chose to remove him from her life. Her devout Catholic mother, however, is terrified at what might happen to her daughter if she continues to believe this. While Alisa's mother has worked for some time to get Alisa exorcized, the final step in that process seems to be a Skype meeting with the aforementioned Larson. Alisa finally agrees to meet with Larson–this is the story of a very strange virtual exorcism.
Bob Larson has, for years, been known to perform exorcisms for people he believes to have lost their way with God. Many of these individuals have suffered horrific traumas that have led them astray and forced them to veer from God’s grace. On the surface Larson is a man of God, an individual who does what he can to help those in need. What many of his followers fail to see, however, is the fact that his goal in life is not simply to help others, but to make a buck in the process. Sleeping with the Devil does a wonderful job of exposing this man and painting a picture so that the world is able to see who and what he is in the shadows.
This documentary aims to express to the world what exactly Larson is and has been for years. The film is incredibly biased, and it’s hard not to think that there may be some more information lurking beneath the surface. Regardless of what information might be left out (and this is entirely speculation that information is left out at all), viewers are able to quickly understand that Larson is not the saint that he claims to be.
Furthermore, it’s clear what Yang’s position on religion, God, and Larson are, and those views aren’t pretty. She, throughout the course of Sleeping with the Devil depicts Larson’s past endeavors (along with a series of other similar individuals--including Larson’s daughter) and presents them in a light that appears to make it clear that Larson (and the others) is nothing more than a swindler. Regardless of the fact that she clearly has an agenda, Yang does a wonderful job of piecing together a series of clips from around the internet to get her point across. The issue with the documentary, however, is the disconnect between the content and the viewer. Sleeping with the Devil, in its entirety, takes place via Skype. While video conferencing platforms are the new norm in all walks of life, this particular setting, and the way in which it’s filmed causes viewers to feel separated from Yang and Larson’s conversation. The constant back and forth between computer screens, and the inability for viewers to see both parties (Yang and Larson) at the same time forces them out of the conversation. There is a clear, and deafening separation between the viewer and the content as a result of the way in which it was filmed.
Larson himself makes it difficult for viewers to appreciate Sleeping with the Devil, as it becomes clear very early on that he is nothing short of an a**hole. This, surprisingly works on two levels, however. Seeing just how horrible Larson is allows viewers to appreciate Yang’s work and her dedication to exposing this pompous individual. Sleeping with the Devil does appear to have somewhat of an identity crisis, though, as Yang’s often blank stare makes it difficult for viewers to appreciate her side of the story as well. The beauty of the film is truly that Larson is exposed for what he really is, and that’s anything beside the honest, charismatic, and devout Christian man that he claims to be.
Directed by Alisa Yang.
Starring Alisa Yang & Bob Larson.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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