I recently saw this film for the first time on television. Despite a lot of stiff competition, it managed to take the top spot in the 'Worst Ever Film About Northern Ireland' league. You'd think that the tortured history of my country would provide great inspiration for Hollywood, but the number of films about Northern Ireland that have raised themselves above the level of dire can be counted on one hand.
It's the pandering to the most bigoted elements among the Irish-American community that really drags films like this down. If you were to fill the gaping holes in the political accuracy of The Devil's Own, you'd be left with a just about competent thriller. Pitt's accent isn't that bad, the script isn't the worst ever, but let's face it, this is no classic.
Throw in a staggering lack of sensitivity to the issues with which it deals, and you've got one of the very worst films I've ever seen. The so-bad-it's-funny closing line of 'We had no choice, you and I' doesn't ring quite true. Pitt and Ford could have chosen to give this movie a wide berth. I could have chosen to watch something else instead. If only we always made the right choices...
It's the pandering to the most bigoted elements among the Irish-American community that really drags films like this down. If you were to fill the gaping holes in the political accuracy of The Devil's Own, you'd be left with a just about competent thriller. Pitt's accent isn't that bad, the script isn't the worst ever, but let's face it, this is no classic.
Throw in a staggering lack of sensitivity to the issues with which it deals, and you've got one of the very worst films I've ever seen. The so-bad-it's-funny closing line of 'We had no choice, you and I' doesn't ring quite true. Pitt and Ford could have chosen to give this movie a wide berth. I could have chosen to watch something else instead. If only we always made the right choices...