Name: Retro Film Review: The Devil's Own (1997)
Item: The Devil's Own
Rating: 30
Author: @drax

(source:tmdb.org)

While certain films should be part of film school curriculum in order to show towards what any future film maker should aspire, certain films should be there in order to prevent future film makers from jeopardising their careers. The Devil's Own, 1997 thriller directed by Alan J. Pakula, belongs to the latter category. From its conception to the premiere, it was textbook example of Hollywood making wrong choices at every opportunity.

The complicated plot begins in Northern Ireland 1972. Eight-year old Catholic boy sees his father gunned down by masked gunmen. Twenty years later that boy is Frankie McGuire (played by Brad Pitt), one of IRA's most dangerous terrorists. During the shoot out with British army and police most of his comrades are killed, but he escapes to New York and, using the network of IRA sympathisers in high places, receives perfect shelter in the home of Tom O'Meara (played by Harrison Ford), police detective. O'Meara doesn't know anything about Frankie's past or true identity - for him young lad, who calls himself "Rory", is just another poor immigrant form the old country who needs a helping hand before he starts pursuing American Dream. Two men quickly befriend each other, but Frankie has an ulterior motive for his staying in America - he wants to get surface-to-air missiles and other sophisticated weapons from nasty arms smugglers led by Billy Burke (played by Treat Williams). That deal leads to misunderstanding that would result in attack on O'Mearas' home. New York detective slowly realises that his guest is not what he is supposed to be, and when FBI and British intelligence get involved, O'Meara is determined to save his life by arresting him.

In 1970s director Alan J. Pakula earned good reputation with his sophisticated political thrillers that had captured the paranoid spirit of the times. Two decades later Pakula proved to be less able to find inspiration in the complicated realities of Northern Ireland, even in the form simplified for pro-Irish audience in American cinemas. Chaotic (and for the most part of production completely non existent) script and constant feuding on the set didn't help either. Spectacular but mishandled action in the beginning (that would only confuse the audience) is followed by the plot that treats not only viewers but most of the characters like idiots, including one of the nominal protagonists, played by Harrison Ford. The Devil's Own wants us to believe that the experienced New York detective could not only be fooled like a little child but also that he would show incredible ignorance of world affairs. On the other hand, Pakula wants to convince us that detective happens to be good guy, so the film becomes prolonged with unnecessary subplots showing his ethical dilemmas that he experiences as a policeman. The result is not only confusing, but utterly boring film which is made bearable only by the strong performances of two leading actors. Of those performances the Brad Pitt's is more impressive, especially considering his very public feud with producers and the fact that he had to finish production under threat of lawsuit. Unlike him, the audience shouldn't have anything to do with The Devil's Own.

RATING: 3/10 (+)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on December 19th 2003)