Devil's Peak

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.

The first 30 minutes I wasn't sold at all on this. Seemed like cliche, overdone premise with the same stuff I've seen a hundred times (which it kind of is). That being said, if you can get past that the rest is a pretty darn good indie film.

As the plot goes along the tension ramps up and you get a nice set up for the finale. I was definitely engaged and wanted to see Billy Bob's son escape the clutches of this meth littered backwoods town.

The acting really carries the script thru til the end, with Billy Bob and Hopper Penn leading the charge. It's definitely not perfect, it's low budget production quality and if you can get past those things it's an entertaining little movie. 6.4/10.

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.

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.

Don't trust the low rating. Billy Bob gives another captivating performance and the rest of the cast holds up as well. Hopper Penn especially did a nice job.

This is not a blockbuster though. It's a small cast in a small town setting but it still works. It's probably a 7 rating but I gave it an 8 to offset the negative ratings trying to take it down.

I watched this on a Saturday afternoon and just took my time with it. It does move slow but just stick with it and enjoy the performances. The scenes are well done and the actors really mesh. Hopefully, more Billy Bob fans will give it a watch and back up this review. It's a good film.