While sometimes messy and unfocused with its subplots, Netflix’s The Devil All the Time turns out to be an engaging and excellently acted portrayal of the horrors of humanity.
Netflix’s The Devil All the Time, directed by Antonio Campos, has a powerhouse cast with some of the best actors Hollywood has to offer, and tells a sinister story of several people’s lives in two small backwoods towns that become entangled in a web of murder and corruption. The characters we follow are far from good, and we see a tale being told from a narrator’s point of view of people doing unspeakable acts in large part due to religious fanaticism and personal gain. We see a common theme of religion being a huge part of a small town in the 50s, but overall it works to the movie’s advantage and message. This movie is incredibly dark and brutal, so if you are of the squeamish type watch at your own risk.
At the center of this story is a young man named Arvin Russell, played by Tom Holland, who is one of the few redeemable characters in a movie filled with the worst of mankind. Holland is of course best known for being the MCU’s Spider-Man, but he steers away from that lighthearted role and holds his own with a strong performance as this young man with a terrible past who is part of this cycle of violence that was passed down to him. Holland is one of the best young talents working in the industry, and it was great to see him test his range in this movie. The other standout performance is of course Robert Pattinson playing a despicable preacher by the name of Preston Teagardin, and although it’s a smaller role compared to Holland’s, his portrayal of this character is outstanding and he really makes you hate him as the movie goes on. Pattinson continues to prove once again why he’s the best actor of his generation.
The direction and cinematography is very strong in this movie, and Campos sets up the storylines very well in the first act, allowing the characters and their motivations to develop. Although, at a runtime of almost two and a half hours, there are some pacing issues and it could have used some trimming in a few areas to provide more focus to some of the characters. Some subplots feel rushed, and others feel abandoned altogether. As I was watching, I definitely felt it could have worked better as a limited mini-series with multiple episodes to tell this long overarching story. However, in spite of these issues, the payoff in the last act is executed so well that you can ignore the pacing problems and watch Holland and Pattinson steal the show.
The movie definitely tells its time telling this story, but the end result is a solid and overall entertaining story of a group of people that are struggling with the Devil inside of them.