Is The Devil All the Time woke?
Movie · Released September 16, 2020
The Devil All the Time has a wokeness score of 1/10, which we rate as Not Woke. No political or woke messaging whatsoever. Focuses entirely on story, characters, fun, or escapism.
2020 releases average 4.5/10. See wokeness trends
Key points
- Focuses on religious hypocrisy and cyclical violence in historical rural America without progressive messaging.
- Ensemble cast and plot driven by character flaws and trauma, not diversity or inclusion quotas.
- Critiques faith abuse through traditional storytelling free of modern social justice commentary.
Wokeness analysis
The Devil All the Time is a dark Southern Gothic crime drama centered on generational trauma, religious fanaticism, violence, and moral corruption in rural Ohio and West Virginia from the 1940s to 1960s. Adapted from Donald Ray Pollock's 2011 novel, it follows interconnected stories of flawed characters including a traumatized WWII veteran, corrupt officials, abusive preachers, and serial killers whose paths collide around protagonist Arvin Russell. The narrative critiques the misuse of faith for predation and hypocrisy through old-fashioned storytelling focused on human sin, cyclical violence, and personal redemption without injecting modern progressive ideologies. No emphasis on identity politics, marginalized group representation as a statement, or social commentary on contemporary issues like race, gender, or systemic oppression appears. Casting reflects the historical setting with predominantly white characters, and any diversity is incidental rather than agenda-driven. The film prioritizes atmospheric tension, ensemble performances, and bleak realism over messaging, aligning with traditional literary adaptations that explore timeless flaws in faith and society rather than pushing indoctrination or forced inclusion. Viewers seeking escapism or character-driven drama encounter no shoehorned wokeness, making it a straightforward example of pre-ideological Hollywood storytelling that resonates with audiences tired of overt political lectures in entertainment.
Plot
Set in the rural towns of Knockemstiff, Ohio, and surrounding West Virginia from the end of World War II through the 1960s, The Devil All the Time weaves together the lives of several troubled characters. Willard Russell returns from the Pacific theater haunted by atrocities and raises his son Arvin amid his own obsessive religious rituals. After his parents' deaths, Arvin grows up protective of his stepsister Lenora while navigating corrupt law enforcement and a predatory new preacher. Intersecting stories involve a spider-handling evangelist, a husband-and-wife serial killer pair who photograph victims, and a power-hungry sheriff. The film explores how trauma, false piety, and violence perpetuate across generations in a decaying community where faith often masks predation. Arvin ultimately confronts these forces in a quest for justice and to break the cycle of blood.
Analyzed by AI on November 2, 2026