Devil's Peak

Worth the watch, but don't expect big budget action here. This is a small movie about a small town & a man who believes he can control the place & everyone in it. Of course this never ends well, especially when the next generation falls for each other because then plans are made & trouble ensues. While the plot is somewhat prosaic the work of the central actors carries the film & thank goodness or this would have fallen a bit flat. Billy Bob Thornton is always impactful in whatever role he's in & he does do the menacing roles particularly well and Robin Wright has the ability to make her mark with a small role here but it's her son, Hopper Penn who does the heavy lifting here & manages to hold the film together on his own pretty well.

He has the right kind of melancholic face for this role, you know the 'poor boy down on his luck, nothin' going right' kinda face, well that works here. Not sure I could buy him in a tough, ruthless role but he brings enough emotion & tension to his performance to make this an engaging watch. Not memorable but engaging nonetheless.

Billy Bob Thorton, Robin Wright, and Jacob Penn bring some acting chops to this suspenseful story of a son trying to escape his fate and choose a different path. It had me on the edge of my sit. The film gives a sense of the decimation that small town America has experienced from economic hopelessness and drug addiction. Thorton gives a hard as nails performance, Wright shows us a vulnerable and nuanced, albeit drug addled mother, and Penn conveys the pain and conflict he is faced with.

This is a film that provides great performances, plot twists and suspense, a sense of place with cinematography and a script that reflects a sense of place.

Devil's Peak is a crime drama about a young man who faces a dilemma between staying loyal to his meth-dealing father or escaping with his girlfriend. The film is based on a novel by David Joy and stars Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright, Jackie Earle Haley, Katelyn Nacon, and Finn Wolfhard. The film depicts the harsh realities of life in the Appalachian Mountains, where poverty, violence, and addiction are rampant. The film is directed by Ben Young, who previously made the acclaimed horror films Hounds of Love and Extinction.

I thought this film was decent but not remarkable. I liked the performances of the actors, especially Thornton and Wright, who gave some depth to their flawed characters. I also liked the cinematography and the soundtrack, which captured the mood and atmosphere of the setting. However, I felt that the film was too predictable and clichéd. The plot was nothing new or original, and the characters were mostly stereotypes. The film lacked any real suspense or emotion. The film tried to be gritty and realistic but ended up being dull and forgettable.

I didn't know what to expect, but I found the film exceptionally well made and beautifully performed. It's a slow burn, but kept me engaged the entire time. I felt a Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright and Hopper Penn truly inhabited their characters and gave believable and moving performances.

I think this movie has been unjustly judged because perhaps politically it doesn't speak to the current trends, but that shouldn't discount the merit of the story.

While slow in the beginning, by the time it ended I truly felt the story had gone together to leave me satisfied. While not a perfect film I enjoyed it, loved the mood and I'm not sure why this movie has received the hate it has.

Devil's Peak is based on the 2015 book Where All Light Tends To Go by David Joy. It explores a complex father/son relationship set against a backdrop of crime and corruption in small town America. Thornton and Wright are at the very top of their game, inhabiting their characters in a way that is at times haunting and heartbreaking. Thornton is mostly terrifying as Charlie McNeely, the drug king pin of the Appalachian mountains, but has moments of levity and humour that give his character an interesting depth. This slow burn of a film brilliantly wraps up with some very unexpected twists, turns and changing allegiances that leave the audience on the edge of their seat. The film takes you on a journey and is a very satisfying watch.