‘The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’ Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival

Have you ever been caught between two undesirable situations and didn’t know which one to choose because either way you’re screwed? That’s exactly what director Bill Purple tried to capture in his film The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

Jason Sudeikis gives an unconvincing performance as Henry, a widowed architect seeking purpose in the world. During his soul searching, he befriends Millie, a homeless teen on a quest to find her long-lost father. The story deals with grief, loss, and finding direction, but frankly has more lows than highs. The constant inspirational quotes, such as, “I read in a book once that 67% of people die when nobody’s looking. What I never could find out… is how many people lived while nobody’s watching,” seem forced and don’t fit the narrative.

The twist ending disappointed, and don’t even get me started on Maisie Williams and Jessica Biel’s attempts at a Southern accent. Justin Timberlake’s soundtrack is a definite stand-out, and gave emphasis to the many sad moments in the film, however the music isn’t enough to save the movie from a slow-paced screenplay and mediocre acting by all parties.