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The Devil's Own

The Devil's Own

They come from different worlds. They fight for different causes. Now, two men from opposite sides of the law are about to go to war.

1997111 minRMidcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Director
Alan J. Pakula
Starring
Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Margaret Colin, Rubén Blades

Frankie McGuire, one of the IRA's deadliest assassins, draws an American family into the crossfire of terrorism. But when he is sent to the U.S. to buy weapons, Frankie is housed with the family of Tom O'Meara, a New York cop who knows nothing about Frankie's real identity. Their surprising friendship, and Tom's growing suspicions, forces Frankie to choose between the promise of peace or a lifetime of murder.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Devil's Own?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Devil's Own streaming on Sony Pictures Core via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Devil's Own?

The Devil's Own earns 5 badges, led by Preferred by Critics and Preferred by Non-US Viewers.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Devil's Own worth watching?

The Devil's Own's Midcredits score is the 45th percentile of all films, from 133K ratings across 6 sources. 43% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

45th percentile

Better received than 45% of films

61st percentile among Action48th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)47th
Approval (how many liked it)42nd

61 /100

47th percentile of all films

64th percentile among Action51st percentile among 1990s

Critics 52 · Audience 61

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.2 — solid but not unanimous.

43% liked it

42nd percentile of all films

57th percentile among Action44th percentile among 1990s
43% rated it 7–1057% rated it 1–6

Critics 34% · Audience 41%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

96th percentile

133K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Action95th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 82% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$90M
Opening weekend$14M
Domestic gross$43M
Worldwide gross$141M

Returned 1.6× its budget — 88th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film tries to be a character-driven drama about an IRA man and a NY cop, but its political backdrop is handled with Hollywood clichés rather than accuracy or depth.

Fans praised

  • Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford's committed performances elevate the material
  • Character-driven moral tragedy exploring duty versus personal connection
  • Gordon Willis's atmospheric cinematography and James Horner's Irish-inflected score

Detractors panned

  • Inaccurate, romanticized, and cliché-ridden portrayal of the Troubles and IRA
  • Brad Pitt's unconvincing and inconsistent Irish accent
  • Troubled production visible in disjointed script, plot holes, and rushed climax

What stands out

Cinematography75

Gordon Willis's somber, painterly visuals elevate the film

ActingDivisive72

Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford deliver committed performances despite miscasting and production strife

CharactersDivisive60

Frankie's sympathetic backstory vs. Tom's rigid morality, but one-dimensional supporting roles

Emotional impactDivisive55

Sympathy for Frankie's plight earned, but sentimentality undercuts tragic weight

TensionDivisive50

Moral dilemma builds early tension but dissipates in messy third act

Dialogue45

Preachy, on-the-nose writing undercuts dramatic moments

Plot and storyDivisive40

Unfinished script, plot holes, disjointed subplots derail promising premise

Pacing40

Slow middle section followed by an abrupt, conventional action climax

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even

Watch experience

What is The Devil's Own like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of filmsBrutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its fraught political and personal conflict straight, treating both sides' motivations seriously without irony.
The rideThe film maintains a persistent tension from the secret identity, with violence and moral weight piling up toward a tragic climax.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Frankie's childhood to the mission in New York, with a conventional three-act structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe sacrifice and moral ambiguity of the ending leave a lingering sense of loss and reflection on loyalty and cause.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeFrankie's journey to acquire Stinger missiles for the IRA drives the plot, but the film's dual focus on the cop's domestic life softens the archetype. The false identity and covert mission are central.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% (this title) · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of filmsViolence · 4% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe story hinges on the secret identity of an IRA man living with an unsuspecting cop, exploring divided loyalties and the moral cost of political violence.
StanceThe film questions the cost of deception and political violence by centering on two men whose opposing causes force a personal reckoning.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · James Horner
SettingNew York City in the 1990s, a cop's home and the underground of arms dealing
MusicPulsating, dark orchestral score that echoes the film's tension and Irish motifs.

Content guide

Is The Devil's Own okay for kids?

R

The Devil's Own is rated R: “Rated R for strong brutal violence, and for language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (69/100), sexual content at minimal (12/100), language at intense (77/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (41/100) and frightening material at intense (60/100). Overall it is heavier than 45% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 18 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia16+
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 67% of all filmsHeavier than 45% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 49%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 7%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 69%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 51%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Devil's Own have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Devil's Own?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Harrison Ford
as Tom O'Meara
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Brad Pitt
as Rory Devaney
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Margaret Colin
as Sheila O'Meara
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Rubén Blades
as Edwin Diaz
Treat Williams
as Billy Burke
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
George Hearn
as Peter Fitzsimmons
Mitchell Ryan
as Chief Jim Kelly
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Natascha McElhone
as Megan Doherty
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Paul Ronan
as Sean Phelan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Simon Jones
as Harry Sloan

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Devil's Own?

Movies like The Devil's Own include The Jackal (1997), The Kingdom (2007) and Conspiracy Theory (1997). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories about assassins, and several are mission stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its story type: political thriller. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Devil's Own?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: political thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.