Ranking the Performances in The Devil All the Time
Ranking the Performances in The Devil All the Time
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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re Ranking the Performances in The Devil All the Time. For this list, we’ll be looking at the ensemble cast of this Netflix original movie and evaluating the performances of the actors in the film’s more prominent roles. Please note, this list will include some minor spoilers, but we’ll try our best to avoid the major twists and reveals. Who do you think delivered the film’s standout performance? Sound off in the comments below!
#10: Charlotte Russell
Haley Bennett Wife to Willard and mother to Arvin, Charlotte Russell is very much seen through the gaze of these two characters. She serves as a symbol of comfort, care and the concept of a complete family. Apart from her dream of having a home of her own, Charlotte’s desires largely remain a mystery. After watching actress Haley Bennett’s star-making performance in “Swallow”, we can’t help but feel that her substantial talent was somewhat wasted in the role of Charlotte. Regardless, Bennett makes the most of what she’s given. With little in the way of dialogue, her performance is defined by subtleties of body language. Her demeanor radiates a sense of warmth and kindness in keeping with the way she’s idealized by her family.
#9: Carl Henderson
Jason Clarke A skilled performer with an impressive resume, Jason Clarke’s talents feel similarly underutilized in this film. Over the years we’ve seen him play a wide variety of roles: a grieving father in “Pet Sematary”; an idealist in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”; and a CIA black site interrogator in “Zero Dark Thirty”. As Carl Henderson, Clarke gives one of his darkest performances to date - and certainly his most repulsive. Carl is an amateur photographer whose twisted desires lead him and his wife to commit horrific acts. Carl’s intense stare is enough to make your skin crawl, but sadly, some of his best moments from the book never made it to the screen. As such, Clarke never gets to go as deep as we would’ve liked.
#8: 9-Year-Old Arvin Russell
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Michael Banks Repeta When an actor is charged with playing the younger version of the central character, they don’t usually get much screen time. More than just a stand-in for Tom Holland however, Michael Banks Repeta plays Arvin during some of the most emotionally-charged moments of the film. Repeta certainly fits the bill in terms of his looks; he’s very believable as a 9-year-old Tom Holland. But, crucially, the young Repeta also manages to play Arvin in such a way that he feels consistent with Holland’s performance. Thoughtful, quiet but bristling with barely contained emotion, Arvin, as played by Repeta, is a character who’s easy to care about.
#7: Lee Bodecker
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Sebastian Stan Tom Holland and Sebastian Stan? It might sound like an MCU reunion, but there are few heroes to be found in “The Devil All the Time”. Best known for portraying the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sebastian Stan is no stranger to playing characters with a dark streak. The thing about Lee Bodecker is… he doesn’t have a heroic bone in his body. Bodecker is a sheriff who’s solely driven by self-interest and a thirst for power. When it comes to actual justice, he seemingly couldn’t care less. Stan plays Bodecker as tired, corrupt and thoroughly unlikeable. The character can feel a bit two-dimensional in his motivations, but Stan makes Bodecker feel believably simple in terms of what makes him tick.
#6: Sandy Henderson
Riley Keough Carl’s better half (so to speak), Sandy is first introduced as a lighthearted, innocent and trusting young waitress. When we jump forward a few years, however, her life with Carl has taken a serious toll. She’s got a world-weariness to her and the spark is gone from her eyes. The fact that Riley Keough can portray two such different versions of the character is certainly impressive, but it’s after becoming the bait in Carl’s depraved hobby that Keough really gets to showcase her talents. “The Devil All the Time” juggles a large ensemble cast, so we don’t get quite as much time with Sandy as we’d like, but Keough nonetheless makes her feel multi-faceted. She plays Sandy as conflicted and pitiable even when complicit with Carl’s sadistic photoshoots.
#5: Roy Laferty
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Harry Melling Recognize this face? Though we never thought we’d hear anyone call Dudley Dursley “lanky”, it’s safe to say that Harry Melling has grown into his looks since his Harry Potter days. In “The Devil All the Time”, Melling plays Roy Laferty, a preacher who’s got some... unconventional ideas about how to connect with both god and his flock. Despite his role being a minor one, Melling makes every second onscreen count. Whether he’s delivering a sermon fueled by fire and brimstone, screaming at god or struggling to come to terms with a terrible mistake, Roy is utterly captivating. Melling’s got a real magnetic quality to him and we hope to see the actor get even meatier roles in the future.
#4: Lenora Laferty
Eliza Scanlen A relatively new face, Eliza Scanlen turned heads with her performance as Beth March in 2019’s “Little Women”. Before that, she received praise for her performance as Amma Crellin in “Sharp Objects”, a 2018 HBO miniseries. In “The Devil All the Time” Scanlen plays Lenora Laferty, a quiet, chaste and all-around sweet girl who sees the best in everyone. Scanlen’s wide-eyed portrayal of Lenora will break your heart. In a film populated almost exclusively by characters wrestling with demons, Lenora serves as a much needed bit of sweetness. In many ways she’s the emotional core of the film, but this only works because Scanlen brings such earnestness to the role. Keep your eyes on this performer, she’s got a bright future.
#3: Willard Russell
Bill Skarsgård Though you might not recognize him without all the makeup, that’s none other than Pennywise the Dancing Clown! Even without the various supernatural abilities of the shapeshifting “It”, Bill Skarsgård certainly knows how to make the audience sit up and pay attention. As Willard Russell, the younger Skarsgård brother is utterly captivating. Returning home from fighting overseas, Willard just wants a quiet life. He’s haunted by what he saw during war, however, and when the life he’s built is threatened, it breaks him. Skarsgård perfectly portrays Willard as a man teetering on a knife-edge. Even when seemingly composed and calm, there’s a violent energy in those eyes just waiting to be unleashed. And when it is, the results are explosive.
#2: Reverend Preston Teagardin
Robert Pattinson After spending years playing a vampire, this actor refuses to be put in a box. 2020 has seen him shine bright on the big screen in Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” while also filming “The Batman”. Since leaving behind the role of Edward Cullen, Robert Pattinson has built an incredibly varied filmography, and this performance is yet another feather in his cap. As Reverend Teagardin, Pattinson transforms without any need for prosthetics. Speaking in a high pitched, nasal voice and delivering sermons with devilish tongue, he’s a handsome young snake oil salesman. It’s nice to see Pattinson play the bad guy for once, and he clearly relishes every minute of it. The actor leans into the theatricality of the preacher role to spectacular effect. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Emma Russell - Kristin Griffith Uncle Earskell - David Atkinson Atkinson Properly Plays Earskell as a Simple Man Helen Hatton - Mia Wasikowska A Small Role for Such a Recognizable Actress
#1: Arvin Russell
Tom Holland As the MCU’s Spider-Man, Tom Holland is officially a household name and an internationally-recognized star. Being tied so closely to a high profile role is, however, as co-star Robert Pattinson can tell him, both a blessing and a curse. As such, it’s great to see Holland shedding his do-gooder Peter Parker image in favor of a grittier, morally complex character. Arvin Russell is a chip off the old block. The lessons his father impressed upon him have shaped him into the man he is today. He’s fundamentally well-intentioned, but when he sees others committing evil acts, he believes in retribution that’s swift and bloody. This role really allows Holland to showcase his knack for subtlety, and his body language and facial expressions speak volumes.
