The Devil All the Time
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgård, Sebastian Stan, Eliza Scanlen, Mia Wasikowska, Harry Melling, Riley Keough, Haley Bennett, Mia wasikowska
Directed by: Antonio Campos
Written by: Antonio Campos, Paul Camps
The Devil All the Time, aspires to be as epic and fluid as a classic Scorsese, but it’s anticlimactic buildup to a smooth ending barely makes up for it’s lackluster story.
When I first saw this film, the cast alone was something to behold. So many incredible talents, but when you have this many stars in one picture, it might be a little much to handle, which was the case for indie director Antonio Campos. (Christine, Simon Killer) If you take a step back and assess the film from a completely technical perspective, everything felt right. However, it was the continual jumps between time periods and stories that seems like it was easy to follow, that made things a bit more complicated.
If were not for the convoluted plots and subplots, this film could have made so much more an impact. The time it takes to develop a connection and understanding with characters is key to the story. By the time you’ve finally started to empathize, you’re introduced to another character, not giving you a chance to figure out what is going on. What kept this film afloat, was the phenomenal range of acting by it’s stars.
Just about every cast member in this film was from outside of the United States—Yes, you heard that right.
The Devil All the Time, takes places between the 40s and 60s in rural Ohio and West Virginia. Considering the attention to detail, it was absolutely incredible to see what these actors and actresses were capable of being thrown in an unfamiliar era. Overall, The Devil All the Time falls short by trying to condense a complex plot into 138 minutes. It wouldn’t have hurt to just simply spread it out into 3 hours, but hey, this is what we have to work with. You will laugh and…well, maybe not cry so much, but definitely be entertained.
