Yes, it is. The movie draws from real - life events. The story of Emily Rose in the movie has similarities to the actual case of a person who was believed to be possessed. There were claims of demonic possession and attempts at exorcism in the real case, just like in the movie. This makes the movie quite chilling as it has roots in something that actually happened.
Yes, it is. 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' was inspired by the real - life case of Anneliese Michel. She was a German woman who underwent numerous exorcism rites in the 1970s, believing she was possessed by demons. Her case was quite tragic as her condition deteriorated during the exorcisms and she ultimately died. The movie took some creative liberties but was rooted in this real - life event of supposed possession.
One key element is the unexplained behavior of the possessed person. In the true story, like in the movie, there were extreme physical and mental changes. Another is the religious aspect, the use of exorcism as a solution.
In the 'Emily Rose Story', Emily Rose is a girl who has to endure the horror of being possessed. She is the one that everyone in the story is either trying to help or figure out what's wrong with. Her experiences are what drive the whole story forward.
The story of The Exorcism of Emily Rose has some basis in truth. But keep in mind that in the process of making it into a film, changes and additions were made to make it more engaging and cinematic.