Netflix released its film adaptation of Donald Ray Pollack’s book “The Devil All The Time,” in which the author also provides the narration. The Devil All The Time is a southern gothic thriller that presents the viewer with serval stories that appear scattered at first but slowly intertwined into a thrilling surprise ending.
The film follows three small-town residents during the 1950s-60s who live in two rural West Virginia towns: Knockemstiff, Ohio, and Coal Creek. Each is affected by a dark twist of murder, sex, and religious experiences. Flashback sequences follow the resident’s stories.
The standout performances were, Of course, Bill Skarsgard as a battered WWII vet who finds God again during a horrible time of his wife having cancer and dying. He trains his son to pray for the dead in front of a makeshift cross in the woods for miracles to happen. The boy Tom Holland grows up with a disdain for religion and uneasy.
Meanwhile, across town, a local photographer (Micheal Clarke) has a twisted evil sex fetish as a hobby and meets a gullible young waitress who joins in the oddity of sex and murder hitchhikers.
Next scene a new preacher who graduated from bible college , Robert Pattinson blows the town people away with his intense saint-like gospel from on high with a sex addition at night for younger girls.
All these characters’ stories, in one way or another, collide with one another in a bloody bath of murderous affairs, religious symbolism, and vigilante justice. I was surprised by Pattinson’s southern accent the most for some reason? But I am slowly seeing him less as the twilight guy the more he takes dark, twisted roles
I liked the film, but the ending was odd? At first, I wasn’t sure how the character’s stories would tie together, but it was a slow burn that left a bitter mark on me for some reason? Also, I felt dirty watching this film but also wanted to watch more to be cleansed! I kept waiting for some light but got more darkness, which is fine but it would have been nice to have a little light in the script.
I think it is an excellent cast of characters with intense dark themes in a small rural town. Nothing like small-town murder right mix with religious overtones? I recommend this movie, but also it would be good to read the book as well.
You can catch The Devil All The Time streaming now on Netflix