In which there’s a lot of praising the Lord in a movie where most of the characters are really more like the Devil. Tom Holland has pretty good aim, and, for a sheriff who’s probably been holding a gun for years, Sebastian Stan does not.
Summary: Seemingly unrelated plotlines reveal themselves to all be connected in one big, dark story. Arvin Russell (Tom Holland) grows up in a town full of sinister figures, only wishing he can protect his sister. A new preacher (Robert Pattinson) arrives in town and uses his position to do unlawful things. Sheriff Lee Bodecker(Sebastian Stan) is mostly just interested in his image first (and his sister, second).
Acting (10/10): Both Tom and Seb gave outstanding performances in this movie. Say what you want about the plot, but the acting (by everyone, really) is amazing. Perhaps people are a little divided in terms of what they think of the plot, but most people would agree the acting is stellar!
Plot (10/10): Before I watched the movie, I read some people say that the pacing was too slow or draggy (especially during the first part). For me, though, I didn’t really think it was slow. Ominous, definitely. Even during the parts where everything seems fine, there’s always an eerie feeling looming over your head. I was hooked from start to finish. (For those who might say the book was better, I really can’t agree or disagree because I haven’t read it).
Tom Holland Appearance (6/10): His character is around a whole lot more, but Tom Holland himself doesn’t appear until around the 40 minute mark, and even after that, he’s not always there. Although I’m pretty sure he gets the most screen time out of everyone.
Sebastian Stan Appearance (4/10): He’s got some scenes that focus on him, and appears more towards the end of the movie. There are pretty large gaps between his scenes, though.
Should You Watch It?
I think it all depends on how much you can actually stomach. I’ve watched movies that couldn’t make me sleep at night, but this wasn’t really one of them. The story is amazing, the acting is amazing, the overall film is amazing. I think it’s a great film, but don’t force yourself if you think it will deeply unsettle you.
Although it’s not the goriest movie to ever exist, it still has plenty of dark themes, so please heed the warnings! You can message me privately if you want a list of the triggering elements in the movie.
