The Devil’s Own

Directed by Alan J. Pakula, The Devil’s Own follows Harrison Ford’s Tom O’Meara as he becomes increasingly suspicious of the Irishman (Brad Pitt’s Rory Devaney) renting out his basement. Filmmaker Pakula, armed with a screenplay by David Aaron Cohen, Vincent Patrick, and Kevin Jarre’s screenplay, delivers a watchable thriller that ultimately fares best in its compelling first half, as the movie does, at the outset, boast an engrossing atmosphere that’s heightened by its stars’ commanding efforts and smattering of engaging sequences and set-pieces (eg police officer Tom and his partner chase a suspect through the streets of New York City). It’s fairly disappointing to note, then, that The Devil’s Own begins to palpably fizzle out once it passes the one-hour mark, as the growing emphasis on Tom’s suspicions (and his ensuing investigation) is hardly as involving or gripping as Pakula has surely intended. (And it doesn’t help, either, that the conclusion, set on a boat, can’t help but come off as entirely anti-climactic.) The final result is a decent-enough endeavor that generally feels like it should be a whole lot better, which is a shame, ultimately, given the charismatic, ingratiating work of Ford, Pitt, and a talented roster of top-notch periphery players (including Natascha McElhone and Treat Williams).

**1/2 out of ****