‘Devil’s Peak’ Review: Billy Bob Thornton and Robin Wright Relish Gritty Appalachian Characters
variety.comBen Young cast Hopper Penn — son of Sean — as his lead. In this adaptation of David Joy’s novel “Where All Light Tends to Go,” the father, Charlie (Billy Bob Thornton), is a drug lord in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains, with a firm grip on his son’s life and livelihood.
Jacob (Penn) works as a runner for his dad, while the latter withholds his wages, thus totally controlling his son. Young and screenwriter Robert Knott build on these intriguing family dynamics to create an entertaining drama that’s unfortunately let down by its lead performance.
The conflict between father and son takes hold when Jacob falls for a local woman (Katelyn Nacon) at the same time that Charlie becomes the target of her DA stepfather (Brian d’Arcy James).
The standoff between the adults forces Jacob to consider leaving town and confronting his father about his money. In persuading Jacob to stay, Charlie spins a good yarn about their home and business being Jacob’s unescapable legacy.
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