By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Atom Egoyan
Starring: Alessandro Nivola | Colin Firth | James Hamrick | Kristopher Higgins | Reese Witherspoon | Seth Meriwether
Country: united_states
Year: 2014
Running time: 114
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804463/combined
Michael says: “For his latest film, Atom Egoyan tackled the controversial true story of the West Memphis Three, a court case about the shocking murder of three young boys. Three young men were targeted as the murderers because of the way they dressed, the heavy metal music they listened to, and the outcast nature of their behavior. It was a notorious case that has already been the subject of a trio of successful documentary (PARADISE LOST: THE CHILD MURDERS AT ROBIN HOOD HILLS, PARADISE LOST: REVELATIONS, and PARADISE LOST: PURGATORY) and thus, a curious choice for Atom to explore in narrative form. Some have said that Atom really seemed like a director for hire, and there is no presence of his influence. strongly disagree. As in almost all of his films, Atom explores the subject of truth in this story that sees officers of the law, members of a community, and even the legal system itself taking extreme liberties with the truth in service of narrow-mindedness and fear. I was unfamiliar with the real life case, which served me well in watching DEVIL’S KNOT. I only knew the broadest strokes and could enjoy the film as it played out. Atom also effectively applied his penchant for jumping about in time, this time to explore memory as it applies to the validity of testifying in a trial. The music, composed by Mychael Danna, who has worked on almost all of Atom’s films, was marvelously effective in a way that underscores the story without manipulating the viewers emotions.
“When three young boys are found bound and murdered at the bottom of a creek, the townsfolk immediately blame Satanic rituals, heavy metal music and three outcast kids whose behavior makes them uncomfortable. In their eagerness to make an arrest, all sorts of evidence is ignored by the police, and outlandish confessions are taken as fact. Ron Lax was an investigator who took an interest in the case, helping the defense with the case, not necessarily because he believed the boys innocent, but because he thought it would be damaging for a community who has lost three young boys in the most horrific manner, could then sacrifice another three boys in another manner so horrific — the death penalty. The movie also focuses on Pam Hobbs, mother of one of the three victims, and her husband, Terry. Pam morphs from a shattered mother forced to bear the loss of her young son, to a person who questions the system and needs to know the truth.
“Atom coaxed marvelous performances from his leads, with Reese Withersppon successfully morphing into a dowdy, Arkansas housewife as Pam, and Colin Firth into a Southern investigator, complete with a pretty accomplished dialect as Ron Lax. Egoyan staple Bruce Greenwood is frustratingly misguided (or corrupt, who can tell?) as the judge in the proceedings. The always wonderful Amy Ryan had only one scene, albeit a great one, as Ron’s ex-wife. I was particularly impressed with Alessandro Nivola who played Terry Hobbs, a curious character who’s true motivations are never quite clear. If there is a flaw to the film, it was that Atom is a little heavy-handed in showing the absurdity of majority of the townspeople’s behavior, especially the police and the legal system, but who knows, maybe that’s what it was really like? I’m going to give DEVIL’S KNOT 4 cats.”