Welcome back to It Came From The Dollar Tree. Last time, we talked about The Final Girls. It was a fantastic film that if you haven't checked out yet, what are you waiting for? Now we get to look at our next film, The Devil's Candy.
The Devil's Candy is a film that I had seen before I picked it up from Dollar Tree. It was released in 2017 and was written and directed by Sean Byrne. It is definitely a unique and fresh take on what a haunted house film can be. One can say that it definitely revels in its metal-ness. It's a story about a struggling artist finding the deal of a lifetime when him and his family move into a new home. It's a home that has a few skeletons in its closet and more secrets to uncover.
The first time around I watched it, I was not sure what to make of it. It's something that just didn't click at first. It's a film that you do have to be in the right mood and mindset for. It is a film that is a bit of a slow burn. That was why the film didn't click for me the first time around. I was ready for a film that got me right from the opening moment. And instead, I didn't appreciate the story it was ready to tell.
This time around, I went into it with a complete open mind. I knew that it was going to be a slow burn. But as I've been watching the film, I realize that it's an incredibly unique tale. Typically in these haunted house films, we have a standard formula by now. A) Family moves into new home. B) Spooky things begin to slowly happen as things begin to bake. C) The spooks hit a breaking point with the family. D) Culminates in a pretty formulaic ending where everyone survives. However this isn't the case with The Devil's Candy.
Speaking of the film outside of the spooks and unsettlingness, this film has a heart to it. This is a movie with a family that I found myself caring for. Ethan Embry plays Jesse Hellman. He's the father and struggling artist in this piece. I have seen Embry in other films. I mean I remember him in Vegas Vacation and Can't Hardly Wait. But it wasn't till years later, I started taking more notice. Specifically I remember seeing him in Don Coscarelli's Incident On and Off A Mountain Road episode of the Masters of Horror. His performance in that was absolutely incredible as it took the 'typical' performance that we had known him for and spun it completely on its head. In this film, I felt for his character. I was able to see the struggles he was going through as a father and wishing to provide for his family. It's so relatable as I find myself in that situation. Shiri Appleby plays Astrid Hellman. She's our mother in this tale. She delivers such an incredible performance as well. And then we have Kiara Glasco as Zooey. I haven't seen much of her other performances, but this one was fantastic. That consists of our family unit and everyone is so believable together. It's a true family unit. And the hope that this family feels when they find a new home. It's something that I can relate to as have gone through that recently myself.
Now something that definitely differentiates this from other films is that we have another part of the equation with the character of Ray Smilie, played by Pruitt Taylor Vince. This is a truly intriguing performance from Vince. It has many layers to it. He's someone that previously lived in the house that is now owned by the Hellmans. He's someone that does have a few quirks about him. It's unsure if it's due to the 'force' that resides at the house or not. But the thing that is extremely clear is that Ray is still a child at heart that was lost within a monster. And that made him a prime candidate to be influenced by the 'force' of the house. It's not necessarily a true villainous role as there is a bit of a tragic stance on the character.
I have mentioned that there is a 'force' in this film influencing our characters. That is true. What is that force? Honestly, it's something that is never fully explored. It just has a hold on Jesse and Ray. It connects the two characters together in a way that is a bit unsettling. One point in the film, there is something that happens with Ray. And this 'force' then inspires Jesse to add this to his new painting that he's working on.
All of these different elements to the film work together in such a unique way with an unforgettable ending. It allows the story to be told in such a new fresh way. I found myself going through and feeling everything for the family. They go through so much in this film. It's some time to the point where it's a bit heartbreaking to see Jesse go through everything he goes through, especially placing myself in his shoes as a parent. For some, this may not be a film for you. But if you go in with an open mind and prepared that it has some heavy material, you may appreciate it. It's definitely a film that I won't forget.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
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