Occasionally, a movie comes along that combines several positive qualities, leading to only one conclusion: this is a very good film. Such is the case with "The Devil's Teardrop" (2010). First off, Tom Everett Scott of high acclaim for such performances as the enthusiastic drummer in "That Thing You Do" stars as a highly specialized/talented forensic analyst and work-from-home single dad of 2 grade-school children, being sought out to assist the FBI on a shoot-em-up ransom scheme by a domestic terrorist in Washington DC.
No one can say Scott doesn't fully carry this movie, start to finish, with his convincing charm and top-notch portrayal of a dedicated father helping his young son work through a trauma from the recent past, involving a gun-toting home invader that Scott"s character Kincaid fights with and kills right in their home. Scott does a magnificent job and rises as the primary quality that makes this a good film.
Natasha Henstridge as FBI Lead Agent Margaret Lukas also does a fine job seeking the terrorist while working with positive chemistry with Kincaid. So too Kincaid's ex-wife Joan, well played by Rena Sofer, a fine acting job as a loving mother who has fully recovered after 2 years from alcohol-related emotional trauma and is now engaged to be married and seeking full custody of the 2 kids. So there's family drama in this film, genuine efforts to remain civilized for the best interests of the children - how's that for something different in our film world of dysfunction, anger-ridden self-centered adults using kids as pawns instead of guarding them as impressionable young human beings?
Very nice cinematography in the DC area; a pleasing soundtrack with complementary music and editing by Ron Wisman to stitch a strong storyline together seamlessly, and you've got a nice piece of filmmaking, effectively directed by Norma Bailey.
Make no mistake: this is a wholesome Hallmark-Type, Lifetime-Styled movie with the ultimate goal of presenting functional adults who care more for the children than anything else. What a concept, huh? And not a single cuss word in the entire film. What a concept, huh?
