The Devil All the Time
(Netflix)
By Lucas Allen
The stars come alive when Netflix is on a mission to cure those still stuck at home from boredom. “The Devil All the Time” is a dark gothic drama dealing with religion, corruption and questionable values in middle America. It’s based on a 2011 novel by Donald Ray Pollock, who also provides narration for the film’s majority. The film takes place in the fictional backwoods town of Knockemstiff, Ohio, between the early-50s and the mid-60s.
Returning from World War II, Willard (Bill Skarsgard) falls in love and marries Charlotte (Haley Bennett) and the two have a son, who they name Arvin. The experiences of war have the praying man teaching his son to use his fists rather than words. When Charlotte succumbs to cancer, Willard commits suicide and his son is left to be raised by his uncle and aunt, who also have a daughter, Lenora, they adopted after her mother (Mia Wasikowska) died at the hands of a psychotic preacher (Harry Melling). The now-grown Arvin (Tom Holland) cares for both Lenora (Eliza Scanlen) and the family, particularly protecting Lenora from bullies.
Things get tense when a preacher named Preston (Robert Pattinson) comes to town and makes moves on underage Lenora. Meanwhile a couple going by Carl (Jason Clarke) and Sandy (Riley Keough), stalk the Ohio countryside, picking up hitchhikers to be photographed before murdering them. Sandy’s brother Lee (Sebastian Stan) seeking re-election as sheriff, starts to catch on to his sister’s actions as he forges a dark path of his own to keep his job. All these sinister characters will soon converge on poor Arvin, who walks a moral tightrope defending himself.
There is lots of story and characters packed into this nearly two hour-and-20-minute feature that it requires some layers to observe. It’s an interesting and thought-provoking story that spans two generations, and it deals with dark themes not normally seen in Hollywood movies. Some might feel it would’ve worked more as a miniseries, but the filmmakers never let the pace slouch nor take it slowly enough to understand what’s happening. Especially with the author himself narrating throughout the feature, you need to pay attention to the different plot lines happening they all intersect with one another.
It’s also a very well-made production, with Alabama doubling for the Midwest. The grainy cinematography, since it’s shot on film, adds to the grim and atmospheric tone of the story. It feels very reminiscent of ’70s thrillers like “Deliverance” and “I Spit on Your Grave,” which unveiled the sinister and shocking truth about backwoods life in this country. As unsettling this movie can be at times, it succeeds at putting you in the center of the scary conflict that happens to the main characters.
But the best reason to seek this one out is the abundance of British actors trying to act with the thickest southern American accents they ever tried. Despite still having his Spidey muscles, Holland is believable in his lead role expressing his character’s many moral dilemmas. Pattinson dials his accent to 11 in a pivotal supporting role, which furthers the future Batman’s pedigree as an astonishing young actor. The other actors mentioned are also very good in spite of their limited screen time.
While the movie’s not everybody’s taste, “The Devil All the Time” remains a dark and compelling film for the more serious film fan. It has all the elements of a good gothic drama with some strong performances to boot. If any of the new theatrical releases aren’t all that interesting, this one might be worth staying home for.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for violence, bloody/disturbing images, sexual content, graphic nudity, and language throughout)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.5 Stars (Out of Four)
