As many of you already know, the only big film to come out this weekend was Transformers 4. I will most likely see it, but it's not one I care about enough to see on opening weekend. Therefore, I was subjected to the Decent Movie Hunt on Netflix. Trying to find an enjoyable movie on Netflix (that isn't a piece of junk) is a challenge, one that I enjoy. Each week, I browse and browse until I find something interesting. I've finished season two of Orange is the New Black (great show). The summer of 2014 is not the summer of films. Summer of 2015 will be, but this summer, uneventful. My Netflix "Recommends" section revealed Devil's Knot. I had seen the preview for this movie not long ago, and had planned on seeing it. I gave it a shot.
The movie is a typical Southern murder mystery, except that it is based on the real story of the West Memphis Three. Three teens are accused of murdering three young boys in a ritual involving witchcraft and satanism. I was so young when this event happened that I barely remember it. I just remember brief clips on the news. Pam Hobbs (Reese Witherspoon) is a mother of one of the murdered children. Like the rest of the small town, the evidence points to the three teenagers who the town considers "weird." Ron Lax (Colin Firth), a private investigator, sees this story on the television and is inspired to help the accused. While most of the movie takes place in a court room, the horrific story unfolds, causing the defense and the offense to question the side they should support. While Pam wants justice for her son and the others, she also begins to question the story. Is it possible that the town might be sentencing three innocent teenagers to death?
I was highly intrigued by this film. I had to use all of my will power from getting onto the internet to know how the story ended. The film was haunting and emotional. The direction was handled appropriately, helping me sympathize for the characters. I also love the setting of the South. Many of the critics panned the film, but I think that it is because with two Academy award winning actors, they might have had their expectations too high. Reese Witherspoon's character was believable. While Pam wasn't the most dynamic character, I had no issue with her acting. Colin Firth? Not his best performance. But I think his character was not well-developed either.
Overall, this film was highly underrated for something that went to Netflix at such a fast rate. I recommend it if you want a good murder mystery to watch. And for those of you who do not have Netflix, I did see it for rent at Red Box. Is it worth buying? Not until it's in the $5 bin at Walmart or Target. I'm just glad I found something good enough to watch that prevented me from looking for news on a possible Sharknado sequel.
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