By now, the West Memphis Three story has been thoroughly milked by the movie industry, with four films telling the same story. So what the hell, let’s add a fifth movie to that pile. The Devil’s Knot tells the same tale, but this time, from the perspective of the parents who lost their children in a shocking 1993 murder in the heart of Memphis one summer day.
Based on the true crime book, “Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three” by Mara Leveritt, the film tells the compelling story of three teenagers accused of the brutal 1993 murder of three 8-year old boys in Memphis, Ark. – two of them sentenced to life imprisonment and one to death. The film explores the lives of deeply misunderstood outsiders, their families and communities, and their darkest fantasies. The conviction of the West Memphis Three – Damien Echols, Jesse Misskelley, Jr., and Jason Baldwin – riled the American justice system, shocked a tightly knit religious town and outraged the nation.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the West Memphis Three, the films have been based on the true-life tale of three teenagers who were accused of brutally murdering three 8 year-old boys. Two of the accused were sentenced to life in prison, while the third received a death sentence. Eventually, due to a lack of evidence and various other testimonies, the West Memphis Three were pardoned and cleared of the crimes after spending years in jail. The Devil’s Knot is based on the book of the same name by Mara Levitt.
It’s out on May 9, and stars Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth, Amy Ryan, Mireille Enos, Stephen Moyer, Alessandro Nivola, Matt Letscher, Michael Gladis, Rex Linn, Dane DeHaan, Bruce Greenwood, Matt Letscher and Michael Gladis. Atom Egoyan directs.
Last Updated: March 11, 2014
