‘Midnight Mass’: The Tale of a Spiritual Malady
My name is Ryan and I’m an alcoholic. By the time this publishes, I will be three months sober. Among my time in treatment, there is a constant debate going in on my mind, and that war is fought over spirituality. I have been in a constant back and forth trying to discover not only my relationship to the world and my role in it, but also my relationship with whatever higher power might be listening. It was during this conflict in the midst of my recovery that Midnight Mass (2021) was released.
I have been a fan of director Mike Flanagan since his 2013 breakout Oculus. Since then he has continued to push the boundaries of what we consider horror, with contemporary classics such as Hush (2016), Gerald’s Game (2017), and of course, the television sensation, The Haunting of Hill House (2018). Time and time again, Flanagan has shown his talent as a director, standing among the modern masters such as Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, Guillermo del Toro, and more. But with Midnight Mass, Flanagan makes his mark as one of the most important horror writers of this century.
Midnight Mass begins with Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford) returning to his hometown of Crockett Island, a small fishing town off the coast of Western United States. At first, this appears to be a stereotypical “Salem’s Lot” type situation involving a mysterious town and a mysterious stranger, and remains to seem the case as Riley’s arrival coincides with that of preacher Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater). But what throws the plot in an unexpected direction is the fact that Riley is a recovering alcoholic, who has returned after a life changing accident threw his life upside-down. This dual arrival, one man a charismatic man of faith, the other a reserved man battling for a purpose, presents us a point of view that has rarely been depicted with respect on any screen.
The series isn’t one of fear and terror, but one of recovery and self-determination. Flanagan’s thesis is laid out clear once Father Hill offers to host a makeshift A.A. Meeting for Riley. During these meetings, Hill and Riley go back and forth discussing the purpose of god, faith, but perhaps most importantly: acceptance and surrender. Recovery from addiction is a struggle, and cannot be done alone. Many recovery groups and organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous or any number of 12-Step programs often ask (not force, ask) us struggling to admit we are powerless when under the influence and to seek aid in a higher power.
But what higher power? A major complaint of A.A. is the preconceived notion of forced conversion. This conflict can be seen within not only Riley, but in the rest of the residents of the predominately Catholic island the series takes place. Many would force their god onto you, such as the authoritarian zealot Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan), but there is another side. A side of freedom and pursuit of knowledge and freedom, embodied by Hassan (Rahul Kohli), the town’s Muslim sheriff. Hassan and eventually Riley both realize that the key to salvation lies not in what you may hear in a chapel from another person, but from a god or higher power as you see them. Your own “Personal God”. It is through this bond that we, like Riley, can seek freedom.
I relate to Riley immensity. Although I didn’t recognize it back in the day, I have been an alcoholic since I was 15. From the very beginning, I drank to get drunk. Things only spiraled once I went away to college, and COVID-19 after that. Things got to a point where I would go on a bender every week. I hurt others and myself. I was lost and hopeless.
I, like Riley and so may others, was powerless. I couldn’t find peace. We are horrified not by what may be happening, but rather what will happen if we follow the wrong path.
Midnight Mass helped me in my own process of rediscovering myself. I was shocked how hard Flanagan’s series hit me. Shocked that someone could make a fantastical story of terror so real. It granted me warmth to learn that Flanagan himself is a recovering alcoholic, Midnight Mass being a symbol of his own worst nightmare if he continued down the path of drinking. The opposite of addiction is connection.
If any message can be taken away from Midnight Mass, it is to not surrender to THE God, but to YOUR God or higher power as you understand them. Thank you Mike Flanagan. My name is Ryan, and I am a grateful recovering alcoholic.
