The Devils
The Devils
| 10 October 2002 (USA)
The Devils Trailers

The story of the struggle of an autistic girl and her brother trying to survive without their parents.

Reviews
Stellead

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

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Afouotos

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

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Fairaher

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

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Darin

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

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Pieter_Van_Ende

After viewing this film, I found the script to be overly ambitious. Autism, failing child protection, child sexuality, incest, self-mutilation, child abandonment, suicide, child imprisonment, child gangs,... director Christophe Ruggia chose to stuff his script with a wide range of social issues. In my view too much for a film of 105 minutes, leaving me wondering occasionally which point the film was trying to make. I was left with the feeling that 'something' was missing. For instance: the transition of Chloé (Adele Haenel) from being aphephobic to the most huggable person in the world, happened so fast that it was almost incredible.The movie is highly advisable though. The cinematography of Eric Guichard is excellent, Vincent Rottiers makes an amazing debut and all in all the film will grab your attention from beginning to end. But above all, Christophe Ruggia dares to tackle very controversial subject, not by subtle suggestion, as is the norm nowadays, but by clearly showing what it's all about.

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Donnie Zuo

Usually, when I'm overwhelmed by a film, I'll give it 10; when I'm offended, I'll give it 1. As for this one, I was neither, so I rather gave it a mediocre mark.While the users with excellent comments are overwhelmed by the tight plot, beautiful cinematography and incredible acting, others are offended by its cruel and controversial scenes. I'm sure both side are understood here. I did appreciate all the efforts from filmmakers and actors, but I had to say I didn't receive much from this film.I don't think those two kids are feral at all. At least, behind every negative things they did, there are reasons we are capable of making out. I mean...yes, these two kids lived in the dark side of the society since their births, and it's the world who's responsible for all their abnormality and destructive behaviours, and then what? In the film, some others tried to retrieve this situation, but the two kids just didn't buy it and even went further under the pressure, which was understandable. And when I expected the real changes, the film cut out. **(mild spoiler)In the end, the society failed to accept them back while the two kids went on living in their own world. Now that's what disappointed and upset me. And I don't think the adult couple willingly accepted Chloe's hug was strong enough to put an end to the society's effort and also to this film.** In that case, the film's effort on me went halfway...Also, in my opinion any art work should be careful of handling controversial issues. They have to be worthy in a film to achieve the effects, otherwise it could be offending. "Hard Candy" seems to me the best negative example. Fortunately, this one was just OK for me. After all, they were kids. Though doubting the realistic possibility of their extreme behaviours, I can always understand them.However, I believe the filmmakers agree with me on that understanding is not enough for those kids living on the edge of society. We don't want them to end up lost causes.Then there should have been more to this film.

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imdb-10420

Chanced across this movie on the ever-reliable SBS television network tonight, and got hooked very quickly.After the "prison break-out" scenes at two-thirds of the way through I honestly thought that this movie should end. In fact I started to get annoyed with it at that point, but the relationship between the two leads was in fact extended in a completely different direction and the conclusion - that you only "have to sit down and push with your own two feet" - was well worth what seemed like a lengthy epilogue.In fact for me it was really the performances of the two leads that made this movie special. It's great to see such convincing performances from such young actors. It's certainly no Rain Man - thankfully. Joseph is particularly powerful as the Tom Cruise equivalent in the lengths that he goes to defend his "sister" - to the point of losing his own sanity. It's also no Shine - Chloe's almost wordless performance is really quite convincing without any of the effort that Geoffrey Rush had to make. I just hope she doesn't get type-cast.For the record, I don't think it's ever made clear that there is any direct family relationship between them, and in fact Chloe continues to seek her true "home" with Joseph's assistance - while he rejects his own.And ultimately it thereby becomes a story about family. Joseph rejects his true "family" when it is found, perhaps because he isn't satisfied that Chloe has found hers. When she wanders into her final ideal home and and hugs her final ideal parents (who Joseph holds at knife-point) it really gets rammed home that the only family they've ever had is each other.Sniff.Of course if you don't understand French and have to read the subtitles it's probably only a 7.5. And then I could spin a few more paragraphs about the story this tells about how we treat our children. But I won't.And having said ALL of that I do have some issues with some of the nudity in this movie. Having grown up in France I understand that it's "purely artistic" but I'm not sure that those standards apply in other countries.

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matthieu-beguelin

I had a strange impression leaving the theater after "Les diables". I needed some hours to get back to reality. In some movies, you really have to convince yourself that the actors are really comedians, because they play in an amazing way. This movie tell us about a little 12 years old boy, Joseph, who's trying to reach his parents' house with his autist sister, Chloe. Both are orpheans and Joseph is the only one who's able to manage his sister. They don't know where the house exactly is, but Chloe often makes a glass-mosaic representing the building. They will follow their path, purchased by cops and educating staff of different institutions. I have to say that the rythme of the movie, the quality of the screenplay and, of course, the interpretation are all great, and left me the impression that, sometime, beauty is much more simple as what we believe. A great and sober love movie, hope everybody will have the opportunity to see it.

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