‘The Devil All The Time’: It’s all over netflix, so, is It good?
The Devil All The TIme. The cast was impeccable and expectations were high, which is why the films inability to grab the audience and perpetuate a constant narrative is so shocking. It strives for a core breakdown of masculinity and Violence in religion but fails to complete the point. The movie becomes convoluted and hypocritical. It’s frustrating to watch because you can see what could be achieved with it’s key moral, but that becomes so buried and lost with overly graphic and convoluted side plots. The complexity of an analysis of masculinity gets confused with the glorifying of it. Unintentionally, it builds a plot that demands empathy but fails to create characters that deserve it.
There is meaning but little story. When studied you can find an analysis of hypocrisy in religion, masculinity in physical wealth and morbid existence but the narrative doesn’t do that justice.
I think it’s a fairly indisputable fact that the defense of this movie lies in the quality of it’s acting. If nothing else, it boasts performances that would put far better films to shame. It is truly some of the best performances we have seen from those actors and this century in general. To hate the movie unblinkingly, would be to ignore it’s performances. It’s proven time and time again the acting talent of Tom Holland is massive and strong. I can’t help but be frustrated he wasn’t given a better script but I admire what he was able to do with something so weak. Elizabeth Scanlen brought heart to a role with a surface simplistic purpose in giving incentive to the male protagonist. Robert pattinson is a cinematic chameleon that always blow you away, as is the rest of the cast.
I would not say this is a great movie. It’s hard to follow and gets lost within itself. It loses its narrative trying to match it’s moral purpose. You are left with a grim well acted film that makes a point but doesn’t tell a good story.
Article By Surina Belk-Gupta| Insta: @surinapop
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