Directed by Barnaby Roper and written by John Patrick Dover, secluded in the middle of Dartmoor, four thieves find themselves hiding out with nothing to do but count the money and time to kill. Starring: Eddie Marsan, Sam Claflin, Burn Gorman, Suki Waterhouse, Tienne Simon and Rory Kinnear.
Barnaby Roper kicks things off on a strong note, diving right in with the terrific, intense presence of Eddie Marsan. Marsan is a man with a great deal of range, and it’s always fun to get to see him explore a darker side. Especially as he’s able to do so while still holding onto a relatability, a humanity and a dab of kindness. He manages to pack a lot into Ronnie and he’s really the heart of the film. You see things from his perspective, and it was a great choice because Marsan leads the charge effortlessly. At times it feels like Marsan’s drawing inspiration from the late, great Bob Hoskins’ performance in Mona Lisa.
He’s well supported by Sam Claflin who is surprisingly good at playing the psycho, he’s not typically known for unhinged characters so it’s a fantastic change of pace and hopefully will open up some interesting doors down the line. Tienne Simon brings a youthfulness, naivety and desire to prove himself which throws another good wrench in the works. Burn Gorman is creepy and unpredictable yet refined in a broken sort of way, he’s as reliable as ever. Rory Kinnear does a good job of capturing the head honcho, manipulator feel. The only weak link is Suki Waterhouse who doesn’t feel natural in this role, she’s trying so hard to be mysterious that it feels wooden and out of place.
However, what feels perfectly in place is the visual, Roper along with cinematographer Peter Flinckenberg, create the ideal aesthetic for All the Devils Are Here. The way they lean heavily on the contrast to really enrich the dark palette, and add an edge of grit. It also pairs wonderfully with the tension all throughout the film, the tone and visual really go hand in hand. It feels reminiscent of the various adaptations of the Great Train Robbery, particularly when it feels set in around the era. Even more so when it adds in the excellent use of Cilla’s stunning songs, hopefully introducing some new people to a great British artist.
The only key divisive choice is the ending, it’s not going to work for everyone. While it makes perfect sense in the bigger picture, it can be inherently unsatisfying. While it has plenty of merit and has a good comment to make about the nature of the criminal underworld, it doesn’t land strongly. It’s also one of the only reveals All the Devils Are Here has to offer, it’s surprising that the film follows a fairly simple path and doesn’t play more complicated mind games as these characters, and actors, would have revelled in them.
All the Devils Are Here is a solid debut feature from Barnaby Roper, along with John Patrick Dover they create a nicely isolated and tense atmosphere. It has a good intensity and grit, there’s a nice animalistic, violent edge to it. The music choices are excellent, there’s a superb cast, with one minor exception, and it captures that classic downward spiral. It just can’t quite see it through to the end, making a choice that’s not necessarily original and not particularly satisfying.
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