The Devil's Own (1997)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Alan J. Pakula

Writers (WGA):

Kevin Jarre (story)
David Aaron Cohen (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 March 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

One man trapped by destiny, and another bound by duty. They're about to discover what they're willing to fight, and to die for.

Plot:

A police officer uncovers the real identity of his houseguest, an IRA terrorist in hiding.

Plot Keywords:

Ireland | Murder | Police | Friendship | Northern Ireland

Cast

Harrison Ford	...	Tom O'Meara
Brad Pitt	...	Rory Devaney / Francis Austin McGuire
Margaret Colin	...	Sheila O'Meara
Rubén Blades	...	Edwin Diaz
Treat Williams	...	Billy Burke
George Hearn	...	Peter Fitzsimmons
Mitch Ryan	...	Chief Jim Kelly (as Mitchell Ryan)
Natascha McElhone	...	Megan Doherty
Paul Ronan	...	Sean Phelan
Simon Jones	...	Harry Sloan
Julia Stiles	...	Bridget O'Meara
Ashley Carin	...	Morgan O'Meara
Kelly Singer	...	Annie O'Meara
David O'Hara	...	Martin MacDuf
David Wilmot	...	Dessie

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence, and for language.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #34333) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 (VHS rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 (DVD rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Baruch College, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Average Shot Length = ~4.8 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~4.6 seconds.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: In the opening scenes the film is meant to be set in Belfast, however the road markings are more like that of where it was filmed - the Republic of Ireland.

Quotes:

[Looking at a dilapidated boat]
Rory: Here it is: the Irish Republican Navy.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Holiday (2006)

Soundtrack:

All 4 Love

Has the potential of the explosive movie

Released in 1997 "The Devil's Own" must have been a casting coup and highly anticipated movie. Going by today standards, the movie does indeed manage to hold your attention. The Brad Pitt's past (and IRA link) can be categorised as a sub-plot and can be extrapolated quite easily in today's times.

The movie is slow but not painfully slow. Yes, it does manage to grab your attention. Performances are top-notch. Noteworthy are the scenes the two actors develop a rapport and honesty the movie seems to largely focused on it. Of course, one can easily make out what would happen in the end and therefore expect fireworks nothing short of "Hiroshima & Nagasaki" in the confrontation scenes. Sadly there is a letdown on that front. Coincidences shown in the movie (read that as cinematic liberties) could have avoided by better writing.

Brad Pitt:: Very subtle performances, great body language and of course gets to mouth some good lines. And yes, he makes a sincere attempt for the Irish accent.

Harrison Ford:: Dependable as usual.

Natascha:: Gets hardly any screen space. Largely safe to say, the ladies had hardly anything to contribute.

Not too bad for a one-time watch and if you mange to catch it on a telly, nothing like it.