Devil's Peak

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.

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.

This is severely underrated. An absolute acting class from all involved. Slow, simmering, deep, sad, intense. Couldn't take my eyes off Thornton, Wright, and her real son. Every choice in mood, attitude, etc., was amazing to watch. The musical score was also a huge factor in the overall effectiveness. So heart-wrenching. This was an immersive experience for anyone who loves watching great actors at the height of their craft. Haley always a standout, too. The geographic setting, the cinematography, all the little nuanced production details, really everything came together perfectly for this viewer. Highly recommend.

I love Billy Bob Thornton movies, but why he took on this script is a puzzle? Maybe as a favour to Sean Penn, whose son, Hopper Penn plays his son in this. He has his daddies name and somewhat of his hangdog looks, but acting talent and screen presence ? Nooo, at least, not yet. But then again, with the tired dialogue that the cast has been given, there are no outstanding performances here. Entirely populated with cut out characters , the psycho drug boss, incompetent minions, downtrodden wife, trailer trash mistress, corrupt police. And Its difficult to even tolerate, never mind to like, the young lovebirds, who we are supposed to be rooting for. Hence after 50 odd minutes of watching, I decided, I don't care what happens in the final half, and care less about who it happens to.

No plot spoilers, because, frankly, its a cookie cutter plot too. Its been done a hundred times before, probably 90 odd of them better.

And a mention of the video/audio quality. The video is overblown, daylight glare gives faces a cookie dough complexion, its impossible to get decent contrast, night scenes are bearable. This is also apparent in the the trailer as well, so its not a case of a bad copy. The dialogue audio is likewise overblown. In every scene, inside, outside, in a car.. they all sound the same, the rendition of the USA national anthem is..ermm..striking! This is magnified by the almost complete lack of ambient or atmospheric sounds, night scenes with barely a chirping cricket or rustling tree, street scenes with no traffic noise, restaurant scene with hardly a mumble from the other dozen or so patrons. It all sounds very claustrophobic.

Now that I have had a break, and some might say, a bit of a rant? I will attempt the next 50 minutes. If it improves, I will return and edit, but I doubt it.

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.