Review of The Devil's Candy (2016) by Brett B — 17 Mar 2017

Idiosyncratic and compelling, THE DEVIL'S CANDY is a striking and effective genre effort, boasting excellent performances and a consideration of character that is admirable. The family trio at the center of this story is really likable, and well-etched by all performers; the father/daughter dynamic, in particular, is refreshingly devoid of cliched tropes.

These are believable, emotionally grounded characters who behave like real people in a genuine and loving family relationship; so often in the genre we are treated to dysfunctional families, so it's nice to have a group here where all of the participants are truly worth rooting for.

In terms of the narrative, there are certainly some familiar elements at play, but they're wrapped together in such a way as to feel quite fresh, and the contours of the story don't take you quite where you might suspect they will.

Additionally, there's a central idea here about being creatively and artistically inspired by (seemingly) malignant and evil forces which is legitimately fascinating and complex, and which forms a very interesting thematic/subtext-y core.

The editing is also particularly good, with a few moments of intercutting being quite effective. There's a bit of a stumble towards the climax, which veers a bit too strongly into semi-ridiculous territory, but up until that point, THE DEVIL'S CANDY is great, and it manages to achieve darkness and intensity without becoming overbearing and unpleasant, which is no small feat.