Devil's Knot

Devil's Knot is a crime drama set in West Memphis in 1993, where three eight-year-old boys are found murdered in the woods. Faced with public pressure to make arrests, investigators focus on three teenagers who dress in black and listen to heavy metal, treating their interest in the occult as evidence. The case against them rests on circumstantial details and local rumor rather than firm proof. Private investigator Ron Lax, who works for the defense and opposes the death penalty, looks into the inconsistencies in the file, while Pam Hobbs, the mother of one of the victims, grows doubtful that the accused are responsible. The film follows their separate efforts as the community closes ranks around a story of satanic ritual.

Atom Egoyan directed the film, which came after Chloe (2010) in his filmography and was followed by The Captive (2014). Scott Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman wrote the screenplay. Colin Firth plays Ron Lax and Reese Witherspoon plays Pam Hobbs, with supporting turns from Dane DeHaan, Mireille Enos, Bruce Greenwood and Elias Koteas.

Made for a budget of 15 million US dollars, the film returned about 2 million dollars worldwide. Its critical reception was notably weaker than its audience response: critics' reviews average 4.6 out of 10, while viewers give it 6.1 out of 10 on IMDb and 6.2 out of 10 on TMDB, from roughly 26,000 and 728 votes respectively.