The Devil All the Time (2020)
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The lives of several characters intertwine across two small towns in Ohio and West Virginia between the end of World War II and the 1960s.
The story
Set between the end of World War II and the 1960s, the film follows several characters whose stories weave together in two small towns, one in Ohio and the other in West Virginia. The narrative follows Willard Russell, a veteran who returns home after the war, and his journey through the rural landscapes of the American South. Amidst the backdrop of religious fervor and local secrets, the lives of a desperate preacher, a pair of serial killers, and a young man named Arvin become entangled in a web of faith, violence, and survival.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
During World War II, Willard Russell witnesses a comrade's death and later settles in West Virginia. In 1950, a charismatic preacher named Roy Laferty, who believes he can resurrect the dead, murders his wife Helen after she is bitten by a spider. He is then killed by Carl and Sandy Henderson, a pair of serial killers who target male hitchhikers. In 1957, Willard, desperate to save his wife from cancer, performs a ritual sacrifice and eventually commits suicide. His son, Arvin, grows up and becomes a protector of his cousin Lenora. In 1965, Lenora is groomed and assaulted by a self-righteous Reverend Preston Teagardin. After Lenora dies from an accidental hanging, Arvin kills Preston. Arvin eventually encounters the Hendersons, kills them in self-defense, and later faces off against the corrupt Sheriff Lee Bodecker. Arvin ultimately survives, finding himself in a cycle of violence and fate similar to his father's.
- First release year
- 2020
- Runtime (minutes)
- 138
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Antonio Campos
- Writers
- Antonio Campos · screenplay; Paulo Campos · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Tom Holland · Willard Russell; Robert Pattinson · Carl Henderson; Bill Skarsgård · Roy Laferty; Sebastian Stan · Preston Teagardin; Riley Keough · Sandy; Haley Bennett · Charlotte; Eliza Scanlen · Lenora; Mia Wasikowska · Emma; Jason Clarke · Lee Bodecker
- Genres
- Southern Gothic; crime drama; psychological thriller
- Themes
- faith; violence; religion; survival
- Tone and mood
- dark; noir
- Premise and plot tags
- ensemble cast; rural; religious
- Source material / true-story basis
- novel of the same title by Donald Ray Pollock
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received polarizing reviews from critics, who praised the performances, particularly those of Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson, but were critical of the film's length and dark tone.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 55 · scale: 100 · review count: 39
- Production trivia
- The film was the most-watched on Netflix over its first two days.; The film's visual style is inspired by painter Andrew Wyeth and photographer William Eggleston.; The film's visual inspiration also came from the novel's descriptions.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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