The Devil All The Time Review

The powerful performances and depth of character building that occupy much of The Devil All The Time, a ruthless new thriller from writer/director Antonio Campos, creates a lurid journey into didactic decay. Conventionally told yet immediately gripping, The Devil All The Time inundates the viewer with countless despicable characters and cruel motives. It's a cynical and sometimes dreary narrative that almost wholly lacks any palpable moralistic theme. Yet, the film is often at its most provocative when it distances itself from its rare moments of solicitousness. There is never a prospect of optimism throughout The Devil All The Time, yet the film ceaselessly produces arresting events despite moments of pure voyeurism.

The Devil All The Time takes place in the small rural town of Knockemstiff, Ohio. Here, the vile unravelings of an unholy preacher, a murderous couple, and a fraudulent sheriff begin to impede on the life of young Arvin Russell, forcing him to confront the corrupt forces that threaten him and his family.

There are pockets where the film strays from its more driven storytelling for moments of desperate shock or violence. At first, these sequences feel utilized, before some parts push to the limit of excessive or cheap. While these scenes help achieve the unrelenting violence and dread that Campos wanted, there is an apparent inconsistency in how each is done.

Though vicious and perseverent, the extreme misery rooted in every element of The Devil All The Time doesn't get stale, despite a hefty 140-minute running time. This lack of disinteresting narrative components in the film is primarily accomplished by the cast's stellar performances—specifically, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson, who depict their characters with unmerciful directness.

The Devil All The Time is captivating in an ambitiously distressing way. There is a vast amount of grisly emotion and potent storytelling throughout, and performances that help elevate these themes to heights less ugly than it's foundation. There are parts in The Devil All The Time that needed to tell more, but Campos' overall storytelling achieves a bleak yet worthy film.

Immersive yet deeply cynical, The Devil All The Time succeeds in telling a dark and despicable tale with the help of sensational performances and skillful direction by Antonio Campos.

Produced By: Netflix
Runtime: 140 minutes
Rating: R