The Devil All the Time: A Movie Review

The Devil All the Time: A Movie Review

Adeline Poindexter, Reporter

The Devil All The Time (2020) is a movie directed by Antonio Campos, inspired by the 2011 novel written by Donald Ray Pollock. This is a horror/thriller/drama film that is sure to entice viewers, invoke deep thought and leave many uneasy.

The Devil All The Time is a well-written and made film that features good cinematography and well-known cast members. The film includes Robert Pattinson as the reverend, Tom Holland as Arvin Russell, and Bill Skarsgård as Willard Russell. The three actors portray roles as members of the small town of Knockemstiff, a town in which grave fatalities and bizarre happenings occur.

The story takes place in the 1940’s, a young boy named Arvin discovers bizarre and unwarranted behavior from his father Willard, including strange religious and spiritual practices. Willard, formerly in the military, experienced something during his time that altered his view on religious practices entirely. We discover Willard’s backstory, and as time progresses we begin to see the story from a grown up Arvin’s perspective.

I found this movie to be entirely intriguing. As a fan of many psychological thriller movies, I found that The Devil All The Time strayed from movie normalcies, and it was filmed in a unique way. The movie is filmed so we see different characters perspectives of the unorthodox events happening in Knockenstiff. The soundtrack is unique. It is very old-time and the outfits and setting accompany it very well. This movie plays on the idea of radical religious practices, showing how many test their faith in dangerous ways. Overall, I found the unique theme of the movie and the film perspective to be thought provoking and entertaining. 

This movie, however, will not bring much to an individual or an audience if they are not interested in psychological thrillers or long movies. The Devil All The Time runs at 2 hours and 18 minutes, so it is a time consuming film. If you are not a fan of movies that are set back before modern times or do not enjoy horror films, the movie would not be worth the 2 hour and 18 minute watch. The material within the movie could also be considered unsuitable for many viewers, the movie is very graphic and bizarre, and it plays on a lot of mature themes. 

Overall, The Devil All The Time is a unique and interesting film that focuses on the role that radical religion plays in many characters lives and unfolds a storyline that shows many perspectives. Although graphic and long, the movie has a lot to offer to fans of thriller movies and is sure to be a unique experience, as it is not a commonly played on theme for a movie.