Overall Thoughts: Inspiring true story is a little drawn out, but well-written and well-acted.
I love true stories that go "under the radar" in terms of buzz, but wind up being "hidden gems" per se. Hidden Figures was the best example of this. It was a terrific true story that earned rave reviews, had low expectations from analysts and audiences, and yet blew everyone out of the water. For me, Devotion isn't an instant classic on that same level, but it comes close at times.
The character dynamics are quite strong. Jesse Brown's story of overcoming racism to carve his own path as a fighter pilot is nothing short of inspiring. And, his devotion to his family is just as touching. His character is given gritty, sensitive, and heartfelt moments. Jonathan Majors gives a terrific lead performance here, capturing the humble, kind-hearted, yet tough as nails persona of Jesse.
Equally as compelling is Jesse's comrade Tom Hudner. His character development shows him learning to step up and be a better teammate. However, I was impressed with the direction the writing team went with him. Tom quickly becomes the trustworthy, loyal friend we all would want to have, and always treats Jesse as an equal in every situation. This role also allowed Glen Powell (fresh off Top Gun: Maverick) to be a more sympathetic, kind-hearted character, and he successfully holds his own.
Equally as compelling is Jesse's comrade Tom Hudner. His character development shows him learning to step up and be a better teammate. However, I was impressed with the direction the writing team went with him. Tom quickly becomes the trustworthy, loyal friend we all would want to have, and always treats Jesse as an equal in every situation. This role also allowed Glen Powell (fresh off Top Gun: Maverick) to be a more sympathetic, kind-hearted character, and he successfully holds his own.
Those unfamiliar with the true story coming in will find Devotion does not end in the way you might expect. That leads to a climax and ending that succeeds in pulling your heartstrings, while making the revelation of the film's true events in the end credits even more intriguing. The action scenes are all well-shot, with smooth cinematography in the jet pilot sequences.
On the downside, the pacing is a little bit of a problem. It especially moves slow during its' first half, and lacks in terms of overall action. There's a few character-driven moments, but some other drawn-out moments don't quite help move the story forward. The film didn't need to be close to 2 and a half hours long. It really starts cooking, however, when Jesse meets legendary screen actress Elizabeth Taylor (Serinda Swan portrays her terrifically), and the gang.
I also found a few of the side characters to be stereotypical in terms of persona (though, that might not be as surprising as it sounds with the movie taking place in 1950). Joe Jonas, in particular, comes across a little one-note as a "ladies' man". That's more of a complaint on how the writers approached the character, however, instead of the former teen star's acting. On the other hand, Christina Jackson does a nice job as Jesse's wife, Daisy.
However, the lead characters' development, action sequences, emotional plot elements and a couple of solid twists (all accompanied by a solid score by Chanda Dancy) make Devotion a very solid movie.
Grade: B+
Is this movie family friendly? Devotion is rated PG-13 for "some strong language, some war action/violence, and smoking." The rating description absolutely fits. As far as language goes, the film has four uses of the s-word and n-word, as well as "a**/a**hole", "h***", "d***" and "whore". Jesse tells himself every cruel/mean derogatory and racist word spoken to him (he writes all of this down in a notebook). A couple of battlefield scenes result in several casualties. One plane and pilot crashes into the rear end of a ship (we hear the impact and see the after-effects). Two more planes crash, leading to one pilot's legs being trapped in the cockpit. Planes explode in dogfights. Bombs and explosives are dropped from the sky. Pilots drink and smoke cigarettes (though Jesse does not drink). Characters flirt with girls, and there's a comment from a sargeant that pilots are not in the job to fly and have sex at the same time. Some characters treat Jesse disrespectfully. In the end, this is more appropriate for ages 12 and up.
Grade: B+
Is this movie family friendly? Devotion is rated PG-13 for "some strong language, some war action/violence, and smoking." The rating description absolutely fits. As far as language goes, the film has four uses of the s-word and n-word, as well as "a**/a**hole", "h***", "d***" and "whore". Jesse tells himself every cruel/mean derogatory and racist word spoken to him (he writes all of this down in a notebook). A couple of battlefield scenes result in several casualties. One plane and pilot crashes into the rear end of a ship (we hear the impact and see the after-effects). Two more planes crash, leading to one pilot's legs being trapped in the cockpit. Planes explode in dogfights. Bombs and explosives are dropped from the sky. Pilots drink and smoke cigarettes (though Jesse does not drink). Characters flirt with girls, and there's a comment from a sargeant that pilots are not in the job to fly and have sex at the same time. Some characters treat Jesse disrespectfully. In the end, this is more appropriate for ages 12 and up.
