The Devil You Know (2022) Poster

(III) (2022)

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5/10
Realistic but not much Effective
MovieAnalysis8 May 2022
Premise: The Devil You Know, a crime drama revolving around a black family. Marcus, who has just come out of prison is trying to make his life again with a new job and his family's support. One day, when he hears about a recent crime in news, that could lead to his brother, he chooses to protect him. What he does and how that affects him and his family is the rest of the film's story.

Cinematic Analysis: Calling it a crime thriller might be misleading as there aren't any thrills involved here. The story is mostly focused on family dynamics, the ups and downs, and their daily lives. Heavy on conversations, the film tries to explore the impact a crime can have on people around us, especially our loved ones. It tries to bring us the inner conflicts and emotions they feel when something like this happens.

The film is around 2 hrs long and the screenplay is extremely elongated. Instead of spending so much time on family get-togethers, if the makers would have invested some time to explain the backstory of our lead character, it surely would have helped a lot to connect with him on an emotional level and for a better understanding of the choices he made. The film focuses on things that are less important and never touches on the impactful aspects.

The ending is surprising, never expected it to end this way. Performances are good but character development did have some scope to improve. On technical levels like cinematography, score etc., the film does a fine job.

Conclusion: In finality, The Devil You Know had a potential and impactful plot but the screenplay couldn't bring out our emotions or make us care for any of the characters. It lacks a tighter script and proper execution.

Rating: 5/10

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6/10
Great Drama Movie
edsoto109 May 2022
It's a pretty decent drama movie. It's not a thriller. I believe more people would like it if they knew its a drama movie and nothing thrilling about it.
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5/10
"THE DEVIL YOU KNOW" REVIEW
Mr-Topshotta19 March 2023
Directed and Written by Charles Murray. A runtime of one hour and fifty-six minutes. Streaming on Starz with an R rating. Starring Omar Epps as "Marcus". "Marcus" has lived a life of crime, addiction, and prison. With a strong family consisting of his dad "Lloyd" played by Glynn Turman. His mom "Della" played by Vanessa Bell Calloway. As well as his three brothers "Drew", "Anthony" and "Terry". Played by William Catlett, Curtiss cook, and Vaughn W. Hebron.

As you see "Marcus" has a huge family. He needed every bit of it to make it out of his addiction and crime way. Now clean and working a good job his father helped him get. He's ready to start fresh. "Marcus" even meets a new love "Eva" played by Erica Tazel.

But he can only be in bliss for so long. It seems while he was getting his life together. His brother "Drew" became the black sheep of the family. Linking up with criminals "Stacy" played by B. J. Britt and "Al" played by Theo Rossi.

After this heinous crime happened. Causing a kid to be badly beaten and his parents killed. "Marcus" realizes this random crime might be linked to his brother. With "Officer Joe McDonald" played by Michael Ealy homing in. "Marcus" sweet new life gets turned upside down potentially bringing him back to a dark side he thought he left behind.

"The Devil You Know" was interesting. I remember when Omar Epps and the Writer/director Charles Murray came to the "Breakfast Club"(A popular New York radio show). The way they pitched it made me want to see it. It also had known actors in it and they were heavily involved in bringing it to light. I've always wanted to support it.

It was a decent film. I kept saying to myself is this film good or bad? It had moments in it that just felt like a made for tv film. Some of the lines and scenes got a little cheesy. That also could be from Charles Murray wearing a lot of hats in this film.

Theo Rossi is a working man. It doesn't matter if it's a tv series or a film. Whether it's an A-list cast or a B-list cast. Made for tv or blockbuster film. He's going to accept the role. I see him in everything I feel like. He might want to step away for a bit because in the last few films I've seen him in he's starting to get typecast.

Overall this film had highs and lows. It had a good cast and I respect that they did most of the groundwork to even get this film made. For that, they have my support. Even though it got cheesy at times and some of the setups were lack lackluster. It still kept my attention. I still wanted to know how it ended. It was an ok streaming film. I give it three mor fires 🔥🔥🔥.

#CosmoandtheMovieWithin #CosmoMovieBlog #CosmoLanier #TheDevilYouKnow.
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2/10
TERRIBLE!
ashleywilliamsusm6 April 2022
This movie was very boring with hardly any action and basically a flat plot. The climax was not even a bit exciting. I expected more from this cast. It's definitely not box office quality and should've went straight to BET or Netflix. I do not recommend waste your money watching this at the movie theater.
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1/10
A Million And One Times
kissmyasthma-955988 April 2022
Bad guy tries to go legit and be good but naturally his dark past won't let him. Has this not been done a million and one times? And, was not every other one of them done better? This movie is slow and boring. I had more excitement on a sunny day as a boy frying ants on the sidewalk with a magnifying glass. The acting...what happened to Omar? None of the actors were credible. If you've been longing to paint the house, it would be preferable to watching this.
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1/10
I was expecting a lot more
divadesiretravel31 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I have to say with these A list actors/actresses I was expecting so much more. I had to watch it twice because I feel asleep. This man killed 4 pple and the family with one brother being a pastor is not going to say anything? That weighted heavy on my heart being that I had a nephew that was killed and we never found the killer. I was expecting that Drew would make it seem like Marcus committed the crime and the detective trying to help him clear his name. The mother was a huge disappointment because she destroyed the baseball cards and had no sympathy or empathy for lost of life or the fact that her son committed this heinous crime that left a child in a coma and both his parents dead.
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7/10
Better than I expected!! Great acting
te_naya_j25 February 2023
I saw this offered on Starz and since I had heard zilch about it, I assumed it would be a B movie.. but wuth Omar Epps, I'd take the risk (despite HATING that Netflix movie with him & Nia Long).

As the movie begins and I continue to see names and faces of actors that I love, I relax a bit and ride the ride.

Beautiful family portrayed!! Real life situations. I did not find myself being mad at anyone for being "stupid" or behaving unrealistic. I disagreed, but it was very believable.

The acting was superb! I was also (pleasantly) surprised to see my girl Keisha from Total, Who is now Mrs Keisha Epps for the last 20 years or so. Seeing how they (she & Omar) didn't react to each other in relationships with other folks in the movie was great. She also, independently, did a good job in her supporting role. She was a good wife, friend, daughter (-in-law) and sister-in-law and I believed it.

I do understand why some reviews are low and others are high. I'm somewhere in the middle. I was definitely effected by the drama and ky emotions responded accordingly. However, there was "something" missing. I can't put my hand on it.

The movie is roughly 90 min so I would 100% say give it a go if you're interested. It will not feel like you wasted your time and you might even thoroughly enjoy it.
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1/10
Stop! It's already dead!
veidtcorps23 April 2022
Just read the plot and move on, lads. Trust me, it's THAT generic! But go ahead if you have nothing else to do and consider spending time badly, when you could be counting blades of grass at the graveyard.
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7/10
Really good acting and controvertial theme
hidavi1 April 2022
I'll keep it short. This is a family drama where an extremely close-knit family bonds together to pay for each others sins, while having to balance their morality with their loyalty to each other. The acting from all of the main characters was top-notch. The story was well constructed. I think a lot of people will be displeased by some of the choices of the characters and racial innuendos of the movie, but I felt like I could really relate to this family. You may also find the little news/radio segments throughout the movie to be jarring in just how BAD the acting from the newscasters/announcers are, especially in contrast with just how good the acting is in the rest of the movie.
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1/10
No Ending
myheartbeats-5547017 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
So I sat through the whole thing, watching what should have been a story about a family's struggle to help one son keep his life on track after a history of substance abuse. These men have been raised right, they love each other and their parents. So far, so good. Then we find out that one son was involved in a horrific crime, and the recovering addict waffles between turning him in and lying to the cops. Things get progressively worse till right before the end, where we find that the addict doesn't have the heart to turn his brother in for a twist that I did not see coming (only surprise in the movie). So the guy just gets away with killing 4 people and putting a young man in a coma because "It's my family"?? Is this how the actual case ended?? Because if so, I say shame on everyone involved. But the ending is so vague, we can't really say for certain what happened.

There are so many other good movies I could have been watching instead of this crap. Don't waste your time with it.
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9/10
Sadly this is Reality today!
spankybenford1 May 2022
All to familiar storyline... love all the actors and some of the best male actors today. Each actor played there role to the fullest. It should have been called brothers my only complaint is that one male actor had no tears when he attempted to be crying. But never thought the dinner table scene would go that way. Loved it.
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7/10
Actually a pleasant surprise
nikolasenrico24 April 2022
Didnt expect much based on reviews, however it is actually a great movie and acting. The story line is catching, even though there is a ton of movies just like this, however it catches ones attention. Definitely a movie worth watching.
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2/10
Wanted to love it with that cast
jamiebsharp22 May 2022
But it was stiff, slow and melodramatic.

The characters were cardboard cutouts, flat and one-dimensional. The chemistry and connection between the actors was poor.

Weak, drawn-out story line ...
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1/10
Absolutely terrible.
KILBOURNE31112 June 2022
I have never turned a movie off until now. Just a bunch of mumbling, whispering, and we can barely hear what they are saying. We keep turning the volume up and then they whisper more. It was super slow and the acting was generic. Very low budget. Omar Epps shouldn't even list this on his IMBD. I wouldn't claim this one at all. Horrible acting as a whole.

*These reviews higher than a 5 must be those in the movie or related to those in the movie.
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4/10
Epps Detained
jeroduptown2 July 2022
Should have been a gripping family drama full of the tension of redemption vs old demons and truth despite family loyalties. Instead the film has Epps plod along with his family in a mundane tale of thug life.
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2/10
I didn't last
jcrelaford8 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Tried to stay engaged but getting to the baseball cards helped me to lose it..a grown ass older dude holding baseball cards for some thugs...dudes with good employment records hardly have anything to do with thugs realistically....and the "dapping" each other up and every scene of Black men telling each other they love each other was very redundant...just a weak plot as though it was written in a hurry..I didn't bother to even get a half hour in...I usually can tell within 20 minutes of a movie if it's a worth watch...good to see these senior actors tho. .they look good and aging has been kind.
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7/10
VIEWS ON FILM review of The Devil You Know
burlesonjesse54 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
"I think you know more than you're letting on". So says a detective in 2022's The Devil You Know. Mostly a talky pic with shards of brief violence and hazard, "Devil" unfolds like the slowest of burns as well, pure fiction.

Taking place in I guess, the less glamorous parts of San Diego (Padres games are mentioned), The Devil You Know refers to possibly the brother of the protagonist played by Omar Epps (as Marcus Cowans). "Devil" is a perfect vehicle for a seasoned, veteran actor like Epps. All disheveled and slouched over with the usual mannerisms, Omar carries "Devil" steadily in the same way he carried certain parts of 1992's Juice. As they say, the tension is in the shoulders, like a dude that did some time.

The Devil You Know centers around the grizzled Cowans, an ex-con who gets embroiled in some murders that might have involved certain members of his household. Cowans wants to stay sober and wants to go straight, but a certain clue (which I won't reveal) leads him to snitch by leaving an anonymous tip. That's when "Devil" turns dark, verbose, and dangerous, a sort of bickering, family Christmas movie but without the comedy and the yuletide cheer.

"Devil's" littered screenplay about homicides, criminal loyalty, and family secrets gets recycled a bit too much. And the film with its sometimes uphill pacing, gives off whiffs of a TV miniseries. Still, The Devil You Know is somehow enthralling and unputdownable, a kind of mild noir with dusky tones and forced scenes that crackle. The cast is decent and I dug the icy, controlled performance of Michael Ealy (as top cop Joe McDonald). The ending (in two parts) feels a little abrupt but it's shocking like a sledgehammer on the comedown. Basically this devil "gets its due".
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5/10
Horrible Ending
arlenesclothes21 November 2022
My daughter and I watched the movie and it was really good. I loved the turns and twist to the movie line. The only part I hated was the ending. I really thought it should and could have been better. The beginning was really good and I loved how it keep certain parts out and fed into when they did.

I had no dream it was going to be that way. You have to listen and pay attention to what's going on. A great movie and it keeps you in suspense until the end. I will recommend to others but would tell them to keep an open mind. This could be anyone's family and everyone will be in shock because of the togetherness.
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6/10
The acting and dialogue keep you in it.
todamfrsh23 April 2022
The storyline isn't much of a mystery, and yeah the old "guy gets out of jail and tries to do good" archetype is played out. But this movie draws out emotion and feeling, partially because the acting is pretty decent for a B movie and partially because the writing isn't half bad either. It's a solid 6 and worth a watch.
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5/10
Well acted and engrossingly unpredictable, but morally confused and racist
tobydammit-211 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Well acted and engrossingly unpredictable, but morally confused and racist.

I'll never forget seeing the New Black Cinema classic "Menace II Society" in a movie theater in 1993. When the young, violent, murdering main character in that film tries to go back home to his family, they won't let him in the door. A black guy in the theater approved, yelling at the screen "Get yo' ass outta here, you CRAZY Mother-F---er!!!" I would think that guy and the Menace 2 Society filmmakers would be disappointed to see middle class black people depicted as morally challenged as some of the characters in The Devil You Know. The acting was great and the film's unpredictability kept me very engaged throughout, but in the end, it seems to espouse that it's okay to lie to the authorities to protect a family member even after they murdered 2 and possibly 4 people in cold blood. The black homicide detective (who's quitting his job because he can't stand to see another black man murdered or guilty of murder) can't even get the family to charge this murderer with an attempted assault on his own brother. Only a racist would think that black people don't have the moral integrity to report family members when they commit murder or that a black cop would not be more passionate about punishing evildoers and protecting the innocent than he is about their color.
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8/10
Exceeded my expectations
brianwpetroski22 April 2022
I honestly went into this not expecting much but it was a pleasant surprise. Heart warming, tragic, emotional and realistic. A story about a man whose just trying to get his life together while battling serious family issues (I won't say anything specific to avoid spoiling it). The trials of humanity, right and wrong vs family.
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6/10
is this a realy family affair?
ilk00521 November 2022
Ok the film was good to spend time. No tansion, no fluent but somethings pull you into the movie. Family members who says "i love you", "baby" eachother... I mean i wanna know that really black families say each other like that nice words continious? I am a Turkish and we don't say these nice words each other. My father never said that nice words to me and my big brother. Or all of that because this is just a film? By the way movie was so slow, boring... I love black people's movie, it is fun to watch. But this was so boring. But i couldn't shut it. Just skipe some parts. That's all. You can watch this film with your family.
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7/10
You Can't Make This Blank Up
hodgedeh3 May 2022
Seen it before. A low budget redux of New Jack City. Well acted by some really good male actors. This happened to someone's family. Guess they decided to get some money out of this tragic tale of four brothers. Confirms my theory that brothers are never alike.
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7/10
Should be rated higher
Kane_Beasty16 October 2022
This was a good movie , the story was solid the acting was solid and it was really relatable.. I feel the ending could have been better but this movie is a solid 7 .. anything less is either Hate or you just dont understand or relate to these situations.

Omar epps does a great job once again. He's had a nice resurgence lately especially in this movie and power book 3: raising kanan .. the plot twist that plays out throughout the movie was done very well and clever .

It also shows a side of family often not seen in black cinema of when your family asks you to take accountability instead of bailing you out of heavy situations .
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10/10
Ignore the bogus reviews and WATCH
czmjrwc22 June 2022
This movie is filled with surprises. Why the ratings are so low through IMDB? I have no clue! But if you want to watch a story where a close knit families love and loyalty is tested- it's worth watching!
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