DEVIL’S KNOT

US/Canada, 2014, 115 minutes, Colour.
Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Allessandro Nivola, Elias Koteas, Kevin Durand, Bruce Greenwood, Amy Ryab.
Directed by Atom Egoyan.

Based on the true story.

In 1993, three very young boys were assaulted and murdered in woods at the edge of the city of Memphis, Arkansas. There was a lot of talk about devil-worship, about Satanism and rituals, one of the accused of having an interest in these themes and a library with background books. The police were eager to close the case, focusing on three young men who were accused, neglecting other evidence. There were strong feelings in the city.

Veteran Canadian director, Atom Egoyan, makes his first American film, with a strong interest in the case, most especially in those involved in the defence. The screenplay has been written by Scott Derrickson and Philip Boardman, Derrickson the director of The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, and the New York police thriller, with possession and exorcism, Deliver Us from Evil.

This film has not been well reviewed, nor widely-released. The main reason seems to be that there were three very strong documentaries, entitled Paradise, which dealt at much greater length and with greater detail on the case, on the accused, on the judicial processes, on the aspects of Satanism. With such a thorough treatment, many who saw this present film thought it superfluous and were very critical of its seeming bias. However, for those who have not seen the documentaries, and are not familiar with the case, it makes very interesting viewing for those who like reconstructions and investigations of true crime.

We are introduced to the events through one of the boys, Stevie, going on a bike ride with his friends and going into the woods, with the promise that he would be back by 4.30 in the afternoon so that his mother (Reese Witherspoon) could go to work. Her husband (Alessandro Neville) tells her that the boy has not come home. It soon emerges that three of the boys have disappeared, although a voice-over of a little boy begins to tell us that he was there and what happened, tapes of a boy who claimed to have been there but was inventing the story as he was interviewed by the police.

The police investigate, people search through the night, but in the morning the naked bodies of the boys are found. Several of the teenagers in the town come under suspicion, one mentally disabled boy who confesses, then later retracts. Another boy is drawn in just by association. And the main accused, who suffers from mental illness and has been in an institution, becomes the main target because of his interest in devil-worship. There is another boy who might have been involved but who has immediately gone to California, is brought back, and fails a lie detector test during his questioning.

While the film focuses on the family, especially the parents’ grief, it introduces a central character, a private investigator with his own company who, pro bono, devotes his and his staff’s attention to examining the behaviour of the accused. He contributes this material to the defence counsel who find it very hard to do their work because of the presumptions and dogmatic decisions of the presiding judge (Bruce Greenwood).

The investigator is played by Colin Firth, a determined man in process of a divorce from his wife (Amy Ryan). He observes, he questions, he analyses evidence, lack of evidence. One of the reasons for taking on his work is that he is against capital punishment, the taking of three more lives in the city, and the harsh judgements made about them. He does make contact with Stevie’s mother and, as the film ends, gets from her some leads which might help the boys.

In a postscript to the film, it is explained that through a particular legal circumstance in Arkansas, the three convicted men were released in 2011. The film also offers suspicious indications about two of the fathers of the murdered boys, perhaps indicating devil-worship activity in the town at the time.

While it would be important for those interested in the case to see the three documentaries, they are not readily available, and this particular rendition would rouse interest in the case, the administration of justice, and the effect of the later release of the accused.

1. The film based on a true story? The documentaries made about the episode and their popularity and insight? The success of the film depending on audience knowledge about the case or not? American response? Non-American? response?

2. The 1990s, Arkansas, the town, homes, streets, schools? The courthouses and offices? The woods and the river? The musical score?

3. The introduction, Pam and Stevie, the bond between mother and son, his going out with friends, the bike? His age? His father arriving home? Pam going to work, the news of the disappearance, the body being found, grief? the flashbacks of family life? Pam seeing him in her imagination and dreams?

4. The voice-over, the young child, his age, his words, interrogation, his statement of witness, with his mother, later his testimony being disproved? The role of the mother, with the police, interrogation, at home, retracting her testimony?

5. The search, the police, the parents’ anguish, the river, the police finding the bodies, bringing them to the surface, the bikes? the bodies naked, assault?

6. The suspects, Damien, his age, mental capacities and experience, his interest in the occult, the books, his talking? Jesse and his being slow-witted, the confession, retracting it? Jason and his friendship, guilt by association? Chris Morgan, his being interviewed, leaving, California, his being brought back, failing the lie detector test? The information about the black man seen with mud on his trousers, but no follow-up?

7. Public opinion in the town, Pam and her husband, the Byers family, the father and his assertiveness? Angers? Prejudice against the accused?

8. The role of the police, earnest, following leads, losing evidence, care and carelessness? The chief and his determination to get a result?

9. Ron Lax, his life, divorce, his wife and the meeting with her, her support of him in his work? At the bar, the girl flirting? His associates, working pro bone, the team? His interest, his presence at the trial, following up leads? Against capital punishment? His not being able to participate directly in the legal action?

10. The investigation, the boys, the woods, the parents, the defence?

11. The three boys, the interrogations, the records, their ages and experience, separation of trials?

12. The court, the judge and his prejudice, the demeanour of the accused, the display of evidence? Pam in the court, her husband, following closely, Pam and her uncertainties? Ron Lax observing her?

13. The findings, the reactions?

14. Pam and Ron, the meeting, the woods, Pam searching the house, finding her husband’s knife? Her suspicions?

15. The years passing, 2011, the exception in the law, the release of the three men? The postscript to the film indicating suspicions about Pam’s husband and the death of Byers’ wife?

16. The background of Satanism, the speculations, the books, the practices, the witnesses? Suspicions at the end about the two fathers?

17. An interesting reconstruction of the case within two hours, the emphasis on the defence?