The Devil All the Time

This is one of the best things in the "Netflix original production" category in a while, no question about it. Unfortunately, I couldn't shake the feeling at the end that a narrative this ambitious and expansive deserved even stronger performances (I'm thinking especially of Tom Holland, who's not bad, but I just don't believe him) or a slightly more innovative formula. Overall, though, satisfaction prevailed and for the first time in a long time this is a film with a digestible voiceover. (2020-09-20)

I don’t know why Americans always have the need to show everyone that Middle West sucks, that its people are stupid, their language unintelligible and moreover that in every village you can meet some kind of religious psychopath who is deprived in some way. To be a cop there must be some kind of punishment and you have to be really stupid to be able to live therewithout losing your marbles. Despite that, The Devil All the Time showing you the devil inside the local people has a good premise with quite a good atmosphere and overall it is quite an interesting movie. If only it wasn’t so long and forceful. From time to time I had a feeling that I’m about to faint regardless the atmosphere. The best part about this movie are the performances of the actors. They really had some fun with that gibberish. (2020-09-29)

Antonio Campos made a western-flavored, Deep South “fuck-up" thriller about the bad things that happen to bad people... and to Tom Holland. McCarthy’s poetic style is slightly undermined by the cynical narrator, who makes astute comments on the outcome of some of the situations, adding details necessary for understanding the humorous charm of the portrait as a whole. Pattinson really savors his role as an ingratiating, oversexed preacher and Jason Clarke was surprising as a porn photographer, but Holland was unusually less prominent, even though he has to deal with the biggest shitstorms and his moral dilemmas are probably the most convincing. Certainly one of the surprises of the year. Spider-Man vs. The Winter Soldier 2:0. (2020-09-19)

Along with Extraction, this is one of Netflix's best offerings when I look at the overall additions from the streaming company for 2020. The Devil All the Time already impressed me in the trailers; I was expecting a bleak experience with a top-notch setting in the southern part of the USA in the 1950s and 60s. For me, the film benefited primarily from two things. The first is surprisingly the narration. I expected boring and shallow chatter that would undermine the story's build-up, but I actually liked this style. The second thing on the list is the exclusive cast. Even the smallest supporting roles are memorable because the entire cast gave more than 100% on set. Add to that the redneck accent, which gave the film extra points. Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgård, and the sheriff played by Sebastian Stan left an incredible impression on me. The film is wrapped in an unpleasantly negative tone, and you don’t even know who to root for. It’s simply a cocktail full of intrigue, claustrophobic atmosphere, chilling moments, perfectly crafted dialogues (the scene in the church with the priest is an absolute acting high point), and explicit brutality that will resonate with you for a long time. It still won't get a full score from me, as I wanted a slightly more dynamic first half. Nevertheless, it’s a fantastic film. For me, it gets 85%. (2020-10-02)

A compelling story from the Midwest full of murderers, perverts, paedophiles and other scum, with normal and sane people popping in here and there. An intense, but slowly flowing tension that benefits mainly from first-class performances (Skarsgård, Pattinson), an impressive and unpredictable script and the fearlessness of the filmmakers to surprise the viewer at times, even shock a bit here and there. Without unnecessary exhibitions like Tarantino, but similarly cleverly structured, and engaging for both the ambitious viewer and the layman. (2020-10-15)