Released: 11th September 2020
Length: 138 Minutes
Certificate: 18
Director: Antonio Campos
Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Jason Clarke, Sebastian Stan, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough and Eliza Scanlen
The perils of unquestioned belief have often laid the groundwork for violent thrillers and the latest effort from Antonio Campos is no different. Based on the novel by Donald Ray Pollock, The Devil all the Time is a harrowing ride.
Set in 1950s and eventually 1960s rural America, The Devil all the Time follows a set of characters and their entanglement with religion. First and foremost is the young Arvin Russell (Tom Holland) who runs afoul of both radical Christianity and those obsessed with it. Then we have Sheriff Lee Bodecker (Sebastian Stan), who patrols the forests all while taking bribe money in his bid to become a congressman. Finally, we have the sheriff’s sister Sandy (Riley Keough) and her husband Carl (Jason Clarke) who trick unwitting men into falling for their schemes. While its three intertwined stories generate a different pace from other narratives, The Devil All the Time’s focus is clear; it’s a story about religious fanaticism and how it twists the minds of those it consumes. The film is chock full of individuals who are either gravely misled or unbelievably corrupt in how they wield it. While it does have many a sinister moment throughout, the reasoning behind the character’s actions isn’t fully elaborated on in many cases. This feels like a missed opportunity to delve into the more psychological trappings of the book; instead it mostly shows on the surface.
The indoctrination present in The Devil all the Time give way to some intense performances that highlight the character’s overly-devout mannerisms. Appearing in a far more serious role, Tom Holland makes a worthy impression; he doesn’t appear until a third of the way in, but his performance is both understated and intimidating in equal measure. Arvin mostly keeps his emotions to himself, but also has a deep attachment to his family. He’s contrasted incredibly well by everyone around him, who all have deeply unsavoury goals. Spiteful and self-centred is the name of the game for most of the cast. Without giving anything away, Robert Pattinson’s Reverend Preston Teagardin is the most manipulative of the bunch, his deeds thoroughly disgusting the viewer. Across the board, the performances have a raw power to them, making it the film’s biggest success.
Cut off from much of wider American settlements, the film makes full use of its countryside setting to convey a sense of foreboding isolation. With little around in the way of work, business or transport, we can see how attached the residents are to their religious reverence. Politics and wider events are kept to the background, occasionally inching their way in via radio broadcasts. This emphasises the character’s distance from greater occurrences. With two time periods under its banner, The Devil all the Time ensures that both are portrayed with solid believability. The costume work, soundtrack and sets are all very well-tailored to the production. Finally, the brutal violence on display is suitably grim and unrelenting, making its impact felt in every scene.
It doesn’t go deep enough to make it a powerful tale, but The Devil all the Time earns some praise thanks to its strong performances and authentic attention to detail. The deceitful and manipulative lengths people go to are well conveyed throughout, even if there isn’t much in the way of reasoning behind it.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)
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