The Devil All the Time

The Devil All the Time
Starring Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgard, Sebastian Stan
Directed by Antonio Campos

More often than not, a huge ensemble film becomes so grandiose and overstuffed that it's difficult to follow the different storylines, or each big name actor demands more time than others and it becomes uneven and discombobulated.  However, there's certain times where a huge ensemble film can produce something magical, and in the case of "The Devil All the Time," that magic comes in the form of two hours and eighteen minutes of pure evil on the screen - in all its bloody goodness.

The film takes place in the rural towns of Coal Creek, West Virginia and Meade, Ohio from 1950 to 1965, and centers on a variety of different characters.  Willard Russell (Bill Skarsgard) returns home after World War II suffering from severe PTSD, and falls in love with waitress Charlotte Russell (Haley Bennett).  They marry and have a son named Arvin, and Willard becomes a devout believer during a family crisis, resorting to shocking means to make God hear his prayers.

Years later, a now adult Arvin (Tom Holland) still lives in his small hometown, and is very protective of his adopted sister Lenora (Eliza Scanlen), who falls for the charismatic yet flawed new preacher, Preston Teagardin (Robert Pattinson).  Also in town is the corrupt Sheriff Lee Bodecker (Sebastian Stan) is dealing with his sister Sandy (Riley Keough) and her husband Carl (Jason Clarke) as they continually break the law.  All these lives intersect at their most darkest moments, culminating in shocking moment after shocking moment.

"The Devil All the Time" is a dark, unsettling epic set in the rural heartland of America in the 50s and 60s, an unflinching, unrelenting spiral to the darkest thoughts and actions of the human mind, cloaked under the veil of Bible-belt theology that preaches the Good Word but acts totally opposite.  The film is based off the novel by the same name from writer Donald Ray Pollock, who also served the film as its Narrator.  There's so much to unpack in this epic that mere writing can't do it justice, and needs to be fully seen to be believed and appreciated for the special work of art it is.

A part of that magic comes from the filming itself.  Instead of being shot digitally, it was shot in classic film, giving the entirety a gritty, dark style that perfectly matched the events portrayed on screen, which were downright nearly impossible to watch.  I went into the film not knowing a whole lot, and was truly surprised by its twisted story and non-stop depressing mood while still captivated from start to finish due to the stellar performances.

These performances come from a wide range of A-list actors, and each one gives memorable performances.  From Bill Skarsgard's Willard dealing with PTSD, struggling faith, and eventual zealousness, to Sebastian Stan's Sheriff doing unspeakable things to protect his wayward sister, to Eliza Scanlon's Lenora sweet innocence getting shattered, there's not one role wasted or moment needlessly made.  Yet the standout performances come from Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson, who play the opposite ends of the same coin.

Tom Holland not only steps away from the family-friendly neighborhood Spider-Man role, but he does so in leaps and bounds.  He plays Arvin as a young adult who's struggling with his traumatic childhood and someone who understandably could've gone off the deep end like most of the other characters in the film, but remains rooted and grounded in his own style of faith, coming forth as the moral compass (even if a bit askewed) of the film.  Holland definitely grew up in this role, and personally I think it's his best performance to date.

I'd say the same about Robert Pattinson's corrupt, immoral preacher, but he's done some stellar independent work that also demands to be seen ("The Lighthouse," "High Life," and "Good Time" are at the top of my list), but this only adds to his impressive film catalogue after his laughably bad "Twilight" films.  He oozes charm and charisma, but underneath his false piety is a true scoundrel, a man who sprouts the Bible's teachings but whose life is far from the red letters.  He performs brilliantly, serving as the ultimate catalyst to Holland's Arvin. 

"The Devil All the Time" is a powerful, thoughtful, well executed and performed saga that spans several years and tells several intesecting stories, but unlike other ensemble films it pulls out something truly magical - even if its profoundly dark and disturbing. 

The Score: A+