The much anticipated The Devil All The Time was released on Wednesday, September 16, and I had my reminder set for weeks. It’s no secret that I’m a huge Tom Holland fan, and seeing him star in a psychological thriller was a new treat, especially since it’s one of my favorite film genres.
The film centers around a bunch of different characters that are all connected and whose actions affect one another, even if they don’t realize it. The Netflix description offered says, “sinister characters converge around a young man devoted to protecting those he loves in a postwar backwoods town teeming with corruption and brutality.” With an allstar cast of Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, and many more, I knew that even if I didn’t like the plot of the movie, the acting would be amazing.
However, I did love the plot of the movie. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it certainly was mine. I love movies that have a gritty tone, flawed characters, and are slow burn in terms of the pacing of the background of the story. Even if it was a slow point in the movie, I was on the edge of my seat because I had no idea what was going to happen next. The film is based on a book by Donald Ray Pollock, but I had never heard of it before, so I had no idea what to expect. The last hour of the movie was so packed full of twists and turns that I didn’t even want to blink in fear of missing something important.
Of course, not every movie is perfect; there were some things I didn’t enjoy or understand. Some of the characters were showcased frequently in the trailer and the actors had rave reviews written about them prior to its release, but then they were hardly in the film at all. I’m not sure if that’s because they had big names and Netflix wanted to market that or what, but that part left me a little disappointed. Despite that part, I loved The Devil All The Time, and I highly recommend it.
There are warnings for violence, bloody/disturbing images, sexual content, graphic nudity, suicide, and language throughout, so make sure you’re taken care of before watching the movie.
The Devil All The Time is now streaming on Netflix.