By George & Josh Bate
True crime is a growing genre in the world of film and television. A sector that was pioneered in part by Netflix’s Making a Murderer and other similar shows has ballooned into one of the biggest and most lucrative genres in the entire industry. As a result, it’s become harder and harder to stand out in true crime, such is the level of competition that each project has.
That’s a problem that the new film After the Devil is Dead could have had in abundance, but one that it circumvents entirely. The film follows the Lester family as they recount their difficult childhood with an abusive father, who they allege was behind their mother’s brutal murder. It’s a harrowing story that is as surprising as it is emotional, and one that deserves to be highlighted in a film such as this.
After the Devil is Dead features many of the classic true crime tropes. Viewers see and hear from the family of the victim, their are pictures shown from the past to highlight what people looked like at the time that the events occurred, and there’s a did they, didn’t they angle as well. Each one of these elements is handled with extreme precision; for example, the conversations with Michael Lester helps the film to feel incredibly emotional.
Lester speaks at length about both of his parents, first to detail the relationship he had with his mother, which was so tragically cut short, and then the abuse sustained at the hands of his father. What makes these moments stand out from other true crime stories is that director Paul Catalanotto gives Lester the time and space to share his thoughts. For example, an extended sequence shows Lester as he revisits one of his childhood homes, recounting the abuse he endured in each room. Most other true crime documentaries would have gone through these moments at a brisk pace, but Catalanotto slows things down in order to make everything Lester says truly sink in. It’s an inspired creative choice that makes After the Devil is Dead such a compelling and heartbreaking watch.
The film also subverts the did they, didn’t they angle that most true crime stories have. Right from the get go, it’s easy to deduce where Lester and co. are going with their stories regarding their murdered mother and abusive father. Therefore, instead of tackling the murder from a mystery angle, the filmmakers opt to ask how and why, rather than who. It makes After the Devil is Dead different from other films in the genre, and in a good way.
VERDICT: 8/10
After the Devil is Dead is a heartfelt, enthralling new true crime film that tells the story of a young mother whose life was cut short at the hands of her father. Two of her children, along with filmmaker Paul Catalanotto, come together to explain that the guilt for the crime lies with their father, and the lies and corruption that led to him avoiding prosecution. It’s emotional, gripping, and sure to be a hit with true crime fans.