The Devil's Own
Directed by Alan J. Pakula
- crime
- thriller
- drama
The story
Frankie McGuire, one of the IRA's deadliest assassins, draws an American family into the crossfire of terrorism. But when he is sent to the U.S. to buy weapons, Frankie is housed with the family of Tom O'Meara, a New York cop who knows nothing about Frankie's real identity. Their surprising friendship, and Tom's growing suspicions, forces Frankie to choose between the promise of peace or a lifetime of murder.
What it’s like
Gritty late-1990s New York in muted, cool-toned cinematography: rain-slicked streets, dim apartment interiors lit by lamps and TV glow, and the rust-brown warmth of an Irish-American home at dinner. Director Alan J. Pakula frames his people with a patient, observational eye, giving long conversational scenes room to breathe, while the action arrives in sudden, handheld bursts of chase and gunfire. The score leans on Irish-inflected strings and tense low pulses that swell during set pieces and fall away into near silence between them. The mood is watchful and uneasy, a slow-burn thriller where paranoia and domestic warmth sit uneasily side by side. Violence is present and sharp: a few brief but sudden shootings and a tense foot-chase, with no gore emphasis and little sexual content. Strong language throughout. It suits a rainy evening with full attention, for viewers who enjoy character-driven crime dramas about divided loyalties, a guarded friendship, and the cost of a double life.
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