Sinister characters converge around a young man devoted to protecting those he loves in a postwar backwoods town teeming with corruption and brutality.

The Devil All The Time Drops on Netflix September 16th.

This cast is absurd, just loaded with talent from front to back. We open with a back story of Willard Russell with some narration in the backdrop from time to time.

The movie is set shortly after World War II and takes us between small towns between Ohio and West Virginia. The cities are small, and they live their lives through the bible, which in turn, the events that transpire over some time, our characters are motivated by hearing God’s word.

To begin with, I want to talk about writing for Arvin (Holland). Arvin has been through some stuff in his life, and at every turn, it seems like he cannot catch a break starting from an early age. I appreciated the fact that within his growth in age maturity set in, and this intensity and anger within him that has been storing up for years. Holland’s acting only got better as the film progressed, and he was more immersed in the role. He had some of the best character development that I have seen in a movie this year.

Likewise can be said about Robert Pattinson and his role as Preston Teagarden. When we are introduced to him, Pattinson has this impeccable southern accent and delights with his charisma. There will be some criticism for his role in this film as he is a preacher who is a pedophile but folks, he is playing a role, period. His scenes are not very long, but when Pattinson is on the screen, he demands your presence. He is slowly becoming one of the best actors in Hollywood.

Above all, the biggest issues with the movie were its incredibly slow start. It took the film about a solid fifty-minutes before it got going and started to head down the right track. The film has a long run-time (2:18), and you feel it after towards the end of the movie.

Lastly, the film isn’t bad, or even what some would have thought as goofy. Nothing about the film is groundbreaking or going to make any award noise, but this is an easy movie to watch. The performances from Holland, Pattinson, Bennett, Scanlen, and Clarke stand out, and the rest of the supporting cast play their part well.

The Verdict:

The Devil All The Time starts is a well-acted and entertaining drama that overcomes its slow start.

Jacob is a film critic and co-founder of the Music City Drive-In. He is a member of the Music City Film Critics’ Association and specializes in the awards season. You can find him on Twitter @Tberry57.