Review of The Devil's Own (1997) by Dave C — 26 Jan 2008

I saw this one a while back and just recently had the chance to watch it again. I still enjoyed it the second time around.

It boats two big names in Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford, and to be completely honest this may be one of my favorite Harrison Ford roles outside of the Fugitive. Brad Pitt also puts out a strong performance.

The film attempts to be a commentary on the social and political turmoil in relation to two separate cultures, Ireland and America. It plays this out by exploring the moral tensions that arise from an IRA gunman finding himself being housed by an American cop while he is searching for weapons to bring back to his homeland. The relationship that builds between these two people allows the movie to personalize the cultural gaps, and it also allows for them to ask some tough, ethical and moral questions.

The movie spends most of it's time exploring this relationship, as the gunman builds a relationship with the cop and his family and vice versa. They begin to understand each other and their separate cultures, but yet the tension of what they believe and feel is right eventually ends up driving a wedge in between. By the end the movie amps up to become a great, intellectual thriller.

The movie does falter at slight points, but overall carries itself with a innate sense of identity. And it can boast a strong story with heavy moral undertones with a decent sense of pacing.