🔪Saint Clare (2025) – Bella Thorne’s Dark Turn in a Chilling Thriller | Release Date, Cast & Plot Breakdown

Boxofficehype
Jul 13
3 min read

🔪 Saint Clare (2025): Bella Thorne’s Dark Turn in This Chilling Thriller

“She’s sweet. She’s silent. She’s a killer.”

Release Date: July 18, 2025 (Select Theaters & On Demand)

Directed by: Mitzi Peirone

Starring: Bella Thorne, Rebecca De Mornay, Ryan Phillippe, Frank Whaley

Genre: Thriller / Psychological Horror

Runtime: 92 minutes

Based on: Clare At 16 by Don Roff

🩸 A Quiet Town. A Killer Secret.

In a summer dominated by superhero blockbusters and loud sequels, Saint Clare sneaks in like a whisper—and leaves a scream. This chilling psychological thriller brings to life the twisted tale of Clare Bleecker, a seemingly innocent Catholic schoolgirl with a violent, sociopathic double life. Based on Don Roff’s cult novel Clare At 16, the film marks a bold directorial vision by Mitzi Peirone and a career-defining performance from Bella Thorne.

👧 The Devil Wears a School Uniform

Clare Bleecker (played with unsettling finesse by Bella Thorne) is your typical small-town teen: she’s polite, quiet, an animal lover, and a vegan. But under her saintly surface lies a darker force—Clare has dissociative identity disorder and a growing body count. As bodies begin to pile up in her sleepy community, the audience is pulled into Clare’s fractured mind where her innocence is at constant war with something much more sinister.

🎭 Cast Highlights

Bella Thorne transforms completely, delivering a haunting portrayal of a teenage serial killer caught between personalities and reality.
Rebecca De Mornay adds gravitas in a maternal but eerie role, reminding audiences why she’s a genre staple.
Ryan Phillippe plays Officer Timmons, a man growing suspicious of the quiet teenager.
Frank Whaley as Mailman Bob adds an unsettling layer to the town’s quirky but troubled characters.
Supporting turns by Jan Luis Castellanos, Dylan Flashner, and Bart Johnson ground the film in a hauntingly believable suburban setting.

🎬 Behind the Camera

Director Mitzi Peirone, teaming up with co-writer Guinevere Turner (American Psycho), crafts a slow-burn thriller dripping with unease. With its stylized visuals by Luka Bazeli, sharp editing by Patrick Sanchez Smith, and a hauntingly ethereal score by Zola Jesus, Saint Clare achieves a tone that’s both poetic and petrifying.

📖 From Page to Screen: A Gritty Adaptation

Don Roff’s novel was already known for its dark, clever subversion of the “troubled teen” trope, and Saint Clare honors that DNA. The film doesn’t just tell a story of a girl gone bad—it explores the fractured female psyche, the duality of faith and fury, and how a broken system often overlooks what’s truly dangerous.

🧨 Why You Should Watch

Bella Thorne’s most daring role to date—a disturbing yet layered anti-heroine.
A fresh female-led horror/thriller with themes of mental health, morality, and manipulation.
A unique indie gem in a year of predictable studio fare.
For fans of Gone Girl, The Bad Seed, or Dexter, Saint Clare offers something twisted, smart, and unforgettable.

📅 Final Verdict: Saint Clare Is a Sinister Surprise

More than just another slasher flick, Saint Clare dives into the psychological complexities of trauma, identity, and justice. It’s an eerie and oddly elegant thriller that uses its minimal runtime wisely, leaving you shaken and thinking long after the credits roll.