The Devil All the Time

Written by Antonio and paulo Campos

Based on the book written by Donald Ray Pollock.

Directed by Antonio Campos

The Devil All the Time follows the interconnected stories of several poor souls between Ohio and West Virginia. These impoverished hollers are full of demented sinners and their unshakable faith in the Holy Ghost. Religion and it’s ability to twist reality and manipulate the faithful is explored in ways that literally made my stomach churn. My review will not be going into gruesome detail about this twisted crime drama, but I will say that if you are sensitive to violence, sexual abuse, spiritual manipulation, or graphic images, this probably isn’t the movie for you.

This movie is heavy. It’s over two hours of f*cked up people doing f*cked up things. But, it’s really well done. From the costumes, to the gospel music, to the set design, the choices made by director Antonio Campos create a world where evil can flourish. The characters grabbed ahold of my heartstrings and they never let go until the credits rolled. What stood out the most were the powerful performances by Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgard, Riley Keough, Jason Clarke, Sebastian Stan, Haley Bennett, and literally every single actor in this film. But, in a sea of compelling performances, Tom Holland still manages to steal the show. His character is the heartbeat of a story that was written to break your heart. He balances a damaged tenderness with a raw rage in a nuanced performance that feels authentic from beginning to end. This movie is long, slow, and dark. But, it’s an emotional experience that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to shake. The Devil All the Time is now streaming on @netflix.

Review written by Zianna Weston