The Devil All The Time
Netflix
*ing: Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgård, Jason Clarke, Eliza Scanlen
Rated: 6/10
Almost all of us find it difficult to see a character that we have followed over the years and identify with, see playing another role — definitely not the fault of the actor. But the truth is that the characters that they have played leave such an impact that it becomes impossible to break the mould in which we are used to seeing them. This probably makes the task of the director and the actor tough but the end result is worth it and The Devil All The Time is a prime example how actors step out of the mould that viewers put them in and show that at the end of the day, it is job and a role that they stepped into even if it was for a few years.
The psychological thriller based on the novel of the same name by Donald Ray Pollock is directed and co-written by Antonio Campos and produced by Jake Gyllenhaal and Randall Poster. The story is simple enough. But there are many characters and while it does, at times, become difficult to follow the thread of each character’s journey, they tend to collide with each other from time to time. The way it all comes together is interesting.
What is even more brilliant about this movie is the performance that Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson have given. Holland as a young man trying to protect his family from all the evil gives a stellar performance. However, it is Pattinson who stands out here even though he doesn’t have as meaty a role as Holland. He may have a total screen presence of 30-35 minutes but the way he manages to break away from Edward Cullen is stunning. As the preacher in this one and a high-pitched Southern drawl, he is a surprise.
A report says that the actor had crafted the accent in his room for days and didn’t let anyone hear it — not even Campos. It is riveting to watch him deliver the dialogues in this accent, so different from the extremely polished Cullen.
While the movie itself doesn’t have much to say apart from the good versus evil, God versus the devil, what makes this 138-minute film worth a watch are Holland and Pattinson’s acting.