The Devil All the Time

Based on Donald Ray Pollock’s superb novel, The Devil All the Time details the exploits of several characters within the Southern United States in the ’50s and ’60s – including Tom Holland’s Arvin Russell, Jason Clarke’s Carl Henderson, and Robert Pattinson’s Preston Teagardin. Filmmaker Antonio Campos, working from a screenplay written with Paulo Campos, delivers an admittedly overlong yet consistently engrossing drama that benefits substantially from its raft of stellar performances, as the director elicits compelling, indelible work from an eclectic cast that includes Riley Keough, Sebastian Stan, and Mia Wasikowska – although it’s ultimately clear that Pattinson, cast as a sleazy preacher, turns in an often spellbinding turn that remains an obvious highlight within the proceedings. It’s clear, as well, that the narrative’s emphasis on multiple plot threads paves the way for a midsection that only grows more and more compelling, particularly as said plot threads inevitably begin to converge, while the intense, engrossing third act ensures that the whole thing concludes on about as rewarding and satisfying a note as one might’ve hoped. The end result is an above-average adaptation that’s certainly head and shoulders above Campos’ last effort, 2016’s Christine, with the picture’s atmospheric, relatively well-paced vibe and smattering of electrifying sequences generally compensating for a somewhat bloated running time.

***1/2 out of ****

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