Review of Devil's Knot (2013) by Dann M — 25 Aug 2014

Based on true events, Devil's Knot is a disturbing look at the American justice system. Responding to the public outcry over the murder of three young boys, the police quickly arrest three teenagers for the crime; but a criminal investigator for the defense soon discovers that there's no solid evidence tying the teens to the murders.

Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, and Bruce Greenwood lead the cast and give solid performances. The courtroom drama scenes are also fairly good, and add an element of tension and suspense to the film. Still, it's made pretty clear which way the trial's going to go and the characters don't have much depth to them.

While Devil's Knot isn't the most compelling of true crime films, it does provide a provocative look at the effect that mass hysteria can have on a small community.