The Devil All the Time

In a small, rural corner of Ohio known as Knockemstiff, the air is thick with darkness and the lines between good and evil are perilously thin. It's a place where the pious and the depraved exist side by side, and where the fabric of morality is constantly being tested. Set in the turbulent post-World War II era, Donald Ray Pollock's novel "The Devil All the Time" is brought to life by Director Antonio Camuñez, who crafts a haunting and unflinching portrait of a community ravaged by sin and corruption. At the center of this maelstrom is Arvin Russell, a deeply troubled and sensitive young man, played by Bill Skarsgård. Born to a troubled family, Arvin's early life is marked by loss, rejection, and abandonment. His father, Willard Russell (Jason Clarke), is a decorated war hero, but a broken and abusive man, who is haunted by his wartime experiences and struggling to connect with his son. His mother, Helen (Hanna Gross), is a fragile and vulnerable woman, trapped in a loveless marriage, and desperate for escape. As Arvin navigates this treacherous landscape, he finds himself increasingly isolated and alone, forced to rely on his own wits and cunning to survive. Meanwhile, a cast of unsavory characters converges on Knockemstiff, each with their own brand of darkness and depravity. There's the ruthless and cunning, Lee Bodecker (Sebastian Stan), a war veteran turned small-time crook, who becomes embroiled in a web of corruption and deceit that threatens to destroy the entire community. Then there's the enigmatic and beautiful, Sandy Henderson (Riley Keough), a young woman with a troubled past, who becomes embroiled in a twisted game of cat and mouse with Lee. On the margins of this toxic world, there are whispers of a dark and malevolent presence, known only as the "devil," a supernatural force that seems to be at work, sowing chaos and destruction in its wake. Arvin, with his fragile psyche and deep sense of vulnerability, is especially susceptible to the influence of this malevolent force, and begins to see it everywhere, from the twisted faces of the people around him, to the corrupt institutions that seem to govern their lives. As the story hurtles towards its climax, Arvin finds himself increasingly isolated and alone, forced to confront the darkness that has consumed his family and his community. In a series of increasingly disturbing and violent confrontations, he is drawn into a world of moral decay and depravity, where the lines between good and evil are constantly shifting. Throughout the film, Director Antonio Camuñez, brings a sense of raw, visceral power to the proceedings, using a combination of stark visuals, and a haunting score, to evoke a world of primal fear and foreboding. The film's cinematographer, Kasper Tuxen, employs a muted color palette, and a series of unsettling close-ups, to create a sense of claustrophobia and unease, that perfectly captures the oppressive atmosphere of Knockemstiff. The performances from the cast are equally impressive, with Bill Skarsgård delivering a breakout performance as the troubled Arvin Russell. His portrayal is nuanced and deeply affecting, capturing the vulnerability and fragility of a young man, forced to confront the darkest aspects of human nature. Jason Clarke, too, is memorable as the broken and troubled Willard Russell, while Riley Keough brings a sense of enigmatic mystery to her portrayal of the troubled Sandy Henderson. As the story hurtles towards its conclusion, Arvin begins to see a way out of the darkness, a glimmer of hope in a world that seems determined to drag him down. It's a moment of redemption, that's both poignant and powerful, and provides a satisfying payoff to a film that's as much about the search for meaning, as it is about the struggle against evil. In the end, "The Devil All the Time" is a film that will leave you unsettled and disturbed, a powerful and unflinching portrayal of a world that's as fragile as it is corrupt. It's a film that will stick with you long after the credits roll, a haunting reminder of the darkness that lurks within us all, and the power of redemption in the face of overwhelming adversity.