★★☆☆☆Based on the previously well-documented true story of the West Memphis Three, Canadian director Atom Egoyan's Devil's Knot (2013) attempts to dramatise Mara Leveritt's novelisation of the same name. The result is a melodramatic, calculable and subsequently dull procedural that makes you baffled by its inertness. When three boys are found brutally murdered in an area ominously known as the "Devil's Den", locals - including one of the boys' mother's Pam Hobbs (Reese Witherspoon) - are left paralysed. Three teenagers, Damien (James Hamrick), Jessie (Kristopher Higgins) and Jason (Seth Meriwether), are soon charged as accused members of this sinister satanic cult.
- 6/18/2014
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
With one trailer already out there for Devil’s Knot, Atom Egoyan’s dramatized take on the West Memphis Three case, Apple is debuting a second, which features some new footage.The West Memphis Three are Jessie Misskelley (Kristopher Higgins), Damien Echols (James Hamrick) and Jason Baldwin (Seth Meriwether), who were accused of murdering three eight-year-old cub scouts in a satanic ritual in 1993. Subsequent investigations, not least in Joe Berlinger's Paradise Lost films, demolished the original "case", and the consensus now is that moral panic convicted them rather than anything in the way of evidence.While the three are now free, the Arkansas judge responsible stopped short of actually overturning their convictions, meaning that local law enforcement officials have not had to admit to or apologise for their egregious original work, and that Echols in particular is entitled to no compensation for his 17 years spent on Death Row.Scott Derrickson...
- 3/10/2014
- EmpireOnline
Devil's Knot, Atom Egoyan’s docudrama about the West Memphis Three, will arrive in U.S. theaters and on VOD on May 9. Starring Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth, the movie recounts the tragic true story of three missing boys in the religious community of Memphis, Ark., and the frenzied rush to justice that condemned three teenagers to prison for a horrific crime. The West Memphis Three — Damien Echols, Jesse Misskelley Jr., and Jason Baldwin — were convicted in 1994 of murdering the three boys, in part because of hyped suspicions that the trio were satanists. Doubts about the three men’s guilt were widespread,...
- 2/10/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
You may already know the awful story of the wrongfully convicted West Memphis Three from Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's excellent trilogy of Paradise Lost documentaries. Also in the works for the last couple of years, however, has been Atom Egoyan's dramatisation of those events, Devil's Knot, and here is the first trailer, along with a poster. Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth are the big names in the cast, along with Egoyan regular Elias Koteas.The West Memphis Three are Jessie Misskelley (Kristopher Higgins), Damien Echols (James Hamrick) and Jason Baldwin (Seth Meriwether), who were accused of murdering three eight-year-old cub scouts in a satanic ritual in 1993. Subsequent investigations, not least in the Paradise Lost films, demolished the original "case", and the consensus now is that moral panic convicted them rather than anything in the way of evidence.While the three are now free, the Arkansas judge responsible...
- 11/20/2013
- EmpireOnline
With the 2012 American Film Market now officially over, we have a few odds and ends of sales art and other information to share, and first up is an early look at Dimension Films' Devil's Knot along with the official synopsis.
Synopsis:
From Academy Award nominated director Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter) and starring Oscar winners Colin Firth (The King's Speech) and Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line), comes the true story of a crime that would grip a nation for almost two decades and that continues to be one of the most high-profile trials of all time.
Based on the bestseller by Mara Leveritt, Devil's Knot recounts the trial and conviction of teenagers Damien Echols (James Hamrick), Jessie Misskelley, Jr. (Kristopher Higgins), and Jason Baldwin (Seth Meriwether) for the savage murder of three, eight-year-old boys in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993. Dubbed the so-called "West Memphis Three,...
Synopsis:
From Academy Award nominated director Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter) and starring Oscar winners Colin Firth (The King's Speech) and Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line), comes the true story of a crime that would grip a nation for almost two decades and that continues to be one of the most high-profile trials of all time.
Based on the bestseller by Mara Leveritt, Devil's Knot recounts the trial and conviction of teenagers Damien Echols (James Hamrick), Jessie Misskelley, Jr. (Kristopher Higgins), and Jason Baldwin (Seth Meriwether) for the savage murder of three, eight-year-old boys in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1993. Dubbed the so-called "West Memphis Three,...
- 11/9/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Atom Egoyan's "Devil's Knot," based on the true story of the recently released West Memphis Three (Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr.), after eighteen years in prison on Death Row, has begun prinical photography in Atlanta, Ga. The film stars Colin Firth, Alessandro Nivola, Reese Witherspoon, Mireille Enos, Kristopher Higgins, Stephen Moyer, Amy Ryan, Matt Letscher, Michael Gladis, Rex Linn, Dane DeHaan, Bruce Greenwood and newcomer James Hamrick. Here's more details. The West Memphis Three's long quest for justice was featured in both HBO's "Paradise Lost" doc trilogy (from directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky) and Amy Berg's investigative Sundance entry "West of Memphis," produced by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Echols, which helped to break the case. The true story will reach a much wider audience in narrative form and with Oscar-winning stars Firth and Witherspoon attached. Trailers for the docs...
- 7/16/2012
- by Sophia Savage
- Thompson on Hollywood
The casting announcements of Atom Egoyan's West Memphis 3 feature Devil's Knot have become as prolific as The Hunger Games. Every few days we get word on a new enticing actor joining the project that already boasts Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon. First came The Killing's Mireille Enos, who'll play a witness and mother of an 8-year-old boy. Next, the mesmerizing Alessandro Nivola signed on to play Witherspoon's onscreen husband Terry Hobbs, a suspicious stepfather of one the missing boys. Amy Ryan and Chronicle's Dane DeHaan were in talks when newcomer James Hamrick was cast as West Memphis 3's Damien Echols. Then casting came in waves of threes, with Young Adult's Collette Wolfe, Ringer's Kris Polaha, and Justin Castor snagging roles days before Scandal's Matt Letscher and Mad Men's Michael Gladis signed on to play the West Memphis 3's defense team, while Bruce Greenwood...
- 6/30/2012
- cinemablend.com
And the cast for the West Memphis 3 flick Devil's Knot keeps right on expanding. This time vampire Bill himself from HBO's hit vampire series "True Blood" has joined the ever-growing cast. Read on for the latest.
According to Deadline, Stephen Moyer has joined the cast of Devil’s Knot in a lead role. The "True Blood" star will play prosecutor John Fogelman in the film about the wrongfully convicted and imprisoned West Memphis 3.
He joins Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in the project that will be produced and financed by Worldview Entertainment. Matt Letscher is set to play defense attorney “Paul Ford,” the man who represents Jason Baldwin, college drama student James Hamrick will make his feature debut playing key defendant Damien Echols, and Seth Meriwether has been tapped to play West Memphis Three defendant Jason Baldwin . Also starring are Mireille Enos, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Collette Wolfe, Alessandro Nivola and Kris Polaha.
According to Deadline, Stephen Moyer has joined the cast of Devil’s Knot in a lead role. The "True Blood" star will play prosecutor John Fogelman in the film about the wrongfully convicted and imprisoned West Memphis 3.
He joins Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in the project that will be produced and financed by Worldview Entertainment. Matt Letscher is set to play defense attorney “Paul Ford,” the man who represents Jason Baldwin, college drama student James Hamrick will make his feature debut playing key defendant Damien Echols, and Seth Meriwether has been tapped to play West Memphis Three defendant Jason Baldwin . Also starring are Mireille Enos, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Collette Wolfe, Alessandro Nivola and Kris Polaha.
- 6/29/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
For anyone who has followed the story of the West Memphis Three over the past two decades or watched any of the Paradise Lost documentaries, it has been very interesting to see a narrative film based on the events slowly starting to take shape. Canadian director Atom Egoyan will be the first to tackle the subject as a feature, calling the story "a piece of American mythology." His film The Devil's Knot is still currently in the process of filling out the sizable cast, mixing A-list actors like Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon with unknowns like drama student James Hamrick, who landed the role of Damien Echols. Now this week they have found one of the other key pieces of the puzzle in casting John Mark Byers, father of one of the murdered boys and a one-time suspect in the murder. According to Variety, Canadian actor Kevin Durand will play Mark Byers,...
- 6/28/2012
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Atom Egoyan's Devil's Knot, based on the events surrounding the recently freed West Memphis Three, has cast an actor to play one of the key components in this truly tragic and horrifying story. Read on for the latest!
Deadline reports that Matt Letscher has joined the film to play defense attorney “Paul Ford,” the man who represents Jason Baldwin, one of the three teenagers accused of a triple homicide. Despite no psychical evidence, the three were convicted in 1993. Baldwin, along with Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley, Jr., were finally released in 2011.
He joins Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in the project that will be produced and financed by Worldview Entertainment. College drama student James Hamrick will make his feature debut playing key defendant Damien Echols, and Seth Meriwether has been tapped to play West Memphis Three defendant Jason Baldwin . Also starring are Mireille Enos, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Collette Wolfe,...
Deadline reports that Matt Letscher has joined the film to play defense attorney “Paul Ford,” the man who represents Jason Baldwin, one of the three teenagers accused of a triple homicide. Despite no psychical evidence, the three were convicted in 1993. Baldwin, along with Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley, Jr., were finally released in 2011.
He joins Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in the project that will be produced and financed by Worldview Entertainment. College drama student James Hamrick will make his feature debut playing key defendant Damien Echols, and Seth Meriwether has been tapped to play West Memphis Three defendant Jason Baldwin . Also starring are Mireille Enos, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Collette Wolfe,...
- 6/22/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Atom Egoyan's Devil's Knot, based on the events surrounding the recently freed West Memphis Three, has scored an actor to play one of the key players in this truly tragic and horrifying story. Read on for the latest!
Seventeen-year-old newcomer Seth Meriwether has been tapped to play West Memphis Three defendant Jason Baldwin in Egoyan's true crime flick. He joins Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in the project that will be produced and financed by Worldview Entertainment. As Variety first reported last week, college drama student James Hamrick will make his feature debut playing key defendant Damien Echols. Also starring are Mireille Enos, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Collette Wolfe, Alessandro Nivola and Kris Polaha, while Amy Ryan and Dane DeHaan remain in talks to join the ensemble. Kristopher Higgins will join Meriwether and Hamrick as fellow West Memphis Three member Misskelley Jr.
Based on journalist Mara Leveritt's bestselling book of the same name,...
Seventeen-year-old newcomer Seth Meriwether has been tapped to play West Memphis Three defendant Jason Baldwin in Egoyan's true crime flick. He joins Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in the project that will be produced and financed by Worldview Entertainment. As Variety first reported last week, college drama student James Hamrick will make his feature debut playing key defendant Damien Echols. Also starring are Mireille Enos, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Collette Wolfe, Alessandro Nivola and Kris Polaha, while Amy Ryan and Dane DeHaan remain in talks to join the ensemble. Kristopher Higgins will join Meriwether and Hamrick as fellow West Memphis Three member Misskelley Jr.
Based on journalist Mara Leveritt's bestselling book of the same name,...
- 6/19/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
After casting well-known veterans Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon and Alessandro Nivola to his drama Devil's Knot, director Atom Egoyan signed a second up-and-coming actor to play one of the lead defendants. Variety reported that Seth Meriwether, a senior at Macon East Academy in Montgomery, Ala. joined the film to play one of the teen leads. Recently, Egoyan signed drama student James Hamrick in the key role of accused teen Damien Echols. Scott Derrickson and Paul Boardman wrote the script based on the book Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three; about the murder trial of teens Jason Baldwin, Echols, and Jessie Misskelley, tried and wrongfully convicted for the murders of three eight-year-old boys discovered in a muddy creek in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Ark.
- 6/19/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
After casting well-known veterans Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon and Alessandro Nivola to his drama Devil's Knot, director Atom Egoyan signed a second up-and-coming actor to play one of the lead defendants. Variety reported that Seth Meriwether, a senior at Macon East Academy in Montgomery, Ala. joined the film to play one of the teen leads. Recently, Egoyan signed drama student James Hamrick in the key role of accused teen Damien Echols. Scott Derrickson and Paul Boardman wrote the script based on the book Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three; about the murder trial of teens Jason Baldwin, Echols, and Jessie Misskelley, tried and wrongfully convicted for the murders of three eight-year-old boys discovered in a muddy creek in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Ark.
- 6/19/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
After signing some well-known veterans such as Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon to his drama Devil’s Knot, director Atom Egoyan placed unknown drama student James Hamrick in the key role of accused teen Damien Echols. Variety confirmed that Hamrick, a student at Wesleyan, received the part after auditioning for Egoyan yesterday in Atlanta. Scott Derrickson and Paul Boardman wrote the script based on the book Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three; about the murder trial of teens Jason Baldwin, Echols, and Jessie Misskelley, tried and wrongfully convicted for the murders of three eight-year-old boys discovered in a muddy creek in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Ark.
- 6/14/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
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