The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (2016) Reviews

• I liked it

  BeavisMoon2017-01-21

  In short, I liked this movie a lot; it made me laugh and cry, though not without a few eye-rolls in between. That being said, I think it deserves more than the 5.5 rating--at least 6.5/7. I agree in part with both the reviews on here (the 2 star, and the 8 star) in that sure, it was cheesy at times and the writing often struck me as contrived, but the superb acting from our two leads carried the movie to heights it wouldn't have achieved otherwise. I'm a Sudeikis fan and as usual he delivered a solid performance. I believed and felt what his character was going through--the paralyzing, confused helplessness of loss and subsequent searching for understanding. Maisie Williams is awesome. I felt like even though Sudeikis got more screen time, Williams was the star here and kept me intrigued throughout. Such a great, authentic actress. Overall, really enjoyed the movie and would definitely recommend it.

• Great Feel Good Movie - 10 Stars

  usajet2017-02-20

  The Book of Love was a great feel good movie with chance encounters and picking up pieces after a tragic event. Very good serious acting role for Jason Sudiekis who is normally known for his comedy roles and SNL. This was a very touching movie worth watching for adults as well as others. The music by Justin Timberlake was certainly an added bonus. Well done...!!!

• Mediocre

  paulinekale2016-10-20

  Just saw this at Heartland Film Festival...it had a few good, funny scenes, but the story is so full of tropes (truth delivered from young child folk voice overs, flashbacks to a "haunting" past, and characters who talk their way through "dramatic exchanges" to realizations) that I thought I might have been watching cheap television. Rather than witnessing an unfolding drama, we were presented with scene after scene of characters stupidly stumbling into a situation where they were neatly arranged in a well- lit space in convenient blocking to "discuss their issues". The movie is excessively scored in prepackaged "Hollywood" music you'd expect from a 1999 blockbuster. On a positive note, Maisie Williams is a star and I believed a lot of her character. The acting was fine...Sudeikis couldn't have done much more with the part, but his earnestness in the role is cringe- worthy because the writing is so weak. Biel is fun as an unpredictable and lovable n'Orleans lady. Sudeikis' sidekicks are a source of some of the few organic laughs. All in all, unless you're a massive Biel/Sudeikis fan, I'd skip it. Really. Without a spoiler, the movie follows the two main characters toward a literal suicide mission, but the score is optimistic and the child's voice-over is telling you otherwise - this movie has a surreal disconnect between the story it's telling in music and voice-over and the story it's showing as the characters embark on their final journey. If Herzog had told the same story, it would be clear the characters were insane rather than "on a heartfelt journey". At the q&a Biel mentioned the script went through 26 rewrites. I would be very very curious to see the original script.

• Its Heart is in the Right Spot

  ThomasDrufke2017-10-02

  Let's be completely honest and upfront, The Book of Love is not a good movie. It's not even a movie I would recommend to people. However, it's heart is in the right place. I know the film was made for people who are going through tragedies and are looking to move on. That's fine and all, but the execution is far from where it could have been with an idea like this. The Book of Love deals with two people, Henry and Millie, both with tragic pasts and looking for something to keep them going through difficult times. They share a bond together over tragedy, and decide to band together and build a boat to deal with their loss, and possibly go on an adventure of a lifetime. What follows is a serious of mostly convoluted events with several cheesy conflicts and dialogue that more or less lead to a B-movie version of Life of Pi meets The Way Way Back? Both are modern-day classics in my opinion, and The Book of Love has nowhere near the gravitas or emotional effect those films do, but I think that was certainly the tone they were going for. The problem is, the film never earns its emotional beats. Instead, it feels more like a glorified hallmark drama, just with great actors. The only major positive is Justin Timberlake's score, and yes I said Justin Timberlake. Why in the world I decided to watch this film, I'm not entirely sure, probably because of Maisie Williams, but it's not a film I will ever revisit. 4.4/10

• Too Contrived For Me

  larrys32017-04-21

  Maybe I'm too cynical at times but this indie, even with its strong cast and some sweet moments along the way, just came across to me as too contrived with an ending that I thought was really ridiculous. The movie seemed to be trying too hard to make the viewer feel certain emotions but it wasn't happening for me. I will say Maisie Williams was wonderful in her portrayal of young Millie, and her dog Ahab was very cute. Also, Orlando Jones and Richard Robichaux added well to the mix in supporting roles.