The Devil to Pay

Simplicity works to this film's advantage. It's generally predictable but nonetheless compelling, and you know from the opening text that the stakes are high, punctuated by the sparce but effective demonstrations of the cruelty in this society. A solid revenge film that doesn't overstay its welcome or overextend its hand.

This is a pretty solid drama/thriller. Really liked the main character, Lemon, who does what she has to do but still maintains a softer side. One doesn't need to turn a character into a heartless killing machine to make them badass. Also, those Appalachian moods were real, from the scenery down to the music.

The mind-boggling communal politics behind the violence in this movie require a perpetual effort to unpack, but I didn't feel compensated for that effort, and by some point I stopped bothering. The characters are cardboard, and the tone is a bit wrong for a violent thriller (for reasons including the soundtrack and the dialogue). Deadwyler does a very good job in the lead.