The Devil’s in the Details

The Devil’s in the Details

Year: 2013

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: English

Director: Waymon Boone

Thriller

In Nogales, Arizona, Thomas Conrad’s life takes a dramatic turn when he becomes entangled in a dangerous game orchestrated by a Mexican cartel. His involvement in their drug smuggling operation will have lasting consequences, setting in motion a series of events with irreversible repercussions. The next seven minutes will change his life forever.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Devil’s in the Details (2013)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Devil’s in the Details (2013). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Modern day

The events unfold in a contemporary border town setting, where present-day technology, surveillance, and cross-border concerns shape the suspense. The clock-driven plot uses current communication and law enforcement methods to escalate peril. The narrative relies on present-day anxieties about crime and family safety.

Location

Nogales, Arizona

Nogales sits on the U.S.-Mexico border, a busy crossing point between two nations. The town blends everyday commerce with the constant presence of risk, making it an ideal backdrop for a thriller about coercion and crime. The setting lets the story oscillate between ordinary life and sudden danger, heightening tension.

🏙️ Border town 🌵 Desert border city

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:37

Main Characters – The Devil’s in the Details (2013)

Meet the key characters of The Devil’s in the Details (2013), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Thomas Conrad

A supermarket manager and military veteran who struggles with PTSD after a traumatic overseas incident. He is determined and protective of his wife and daughter, yet haunted by guilt that fuels risky choices. His resourcefulness helps him navigate escalating threats, even as his grip on reality is tested.

🎖️ Veteran 🧠 PTSD survivor 👨‍👧 Family protector

Claire Conrad

Thomas's sister and a police officer who becomes entangled in the family's crisis. She embodies duty and courage, but the crisis forces hard moral choices and endangers her life. Her actions spin the plot toward a climactic confrontation.

👮 Police officer 💔 Family strain 🕊️ Loss impact

Richard Conrad

Thomas and Claire's father, a judge whose position becomes leverage for criminals. His attempts to intervene pull the family deeper into danger, testing loyalty and justice.

⚖️ Judge 🕰️ Family pressure

Bill Duffy

A coercive operator who entangles Thomas in a dangerous cross-border plan. He manipulates the situation to exploit Thomas's fears and uses others as pawns in a broader scheme.

🧭 Criminal mastermind 💰 Coercion 🗝️ Control

Dr. Bruce Michaels

A psychiatrist who helps Thomas confront the memories fueling his PTSD. He becomes a crucial ally, orchestrating a rescue and offering psychological insight that reframes the threat.

👨‍⚕️ Psychiatrist 🛟 Intervention 🔎 Insight

Trevor

A young man initially appearing to offer help, but who is revealed to be aligned with Bill. His betrayal intensifies the danger and shifts Thomas's moral compass.

🧭 False ally ⚠️ Betrayal

Olivia

Thomas's employee who is coerced into violent acts as part of the conspiracy. Her fate highlights the collateral damage of the plan and the human cost of coercion.

💼 Employee 💥 Victim turned casualty

Corbin

Bill's henchman who participates in the manipulation and becomes a target in Thomas's bid to escape. He serves as a physical threat and a catalyst for the climactic confrontations.

🗡️ Henchman 🧭 Threat

Chloe Conrad

Thomas and Selina's daughter, a symbol of innocence that deepens the stakes of Thomas's choices. Her safety motivates his actions and underscores the family theme of the film.

👧 Daughter ❤️ Family focus

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:37

Major Themes – The Devil’s in the Details (2013)

Explore the central themes of The Devil’s in the Details (2013), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧠 Trauma

Thomas Conrad's post-traumatic stress from war haunts his perceptions and decisions. The film uses flashbacks and distorted memories to reveal the origin of his fear. It explores how trauma can distort reality and complicate attempts at healing, while showing the path toward confronting the past.

🎭 Manipulation

A calculated manipulator uses fear and deception to force Thomas into a deadly scheme. The absence of a real cartel reframes danger as psychological control, making every interaction a potential trap. The twist places responsibility on those who orchestrate coercion, not just on alleged criminals.

👪 Family

Family safety drives the plot, turning relatives into pawns in a dangerous game. Loyalty clashes with duty, revealing how protective instincts can become complicit in harm. The ending leaves scars on family bonds even as Thomas seeks closure through vengeance.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:37

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Relentless High-Stakes Thrillers like The Devil’s in the Details

Stories where desperate characters are trapped in manipulative, life-or-death games.If you liked the anxious, high-stakes pressure of The Devil’s in the Details, explore more movies with similar tension. These films feature desperate protagonists trapped in manipulative schemes, creating a claustrophobic and psychologically intense viewing experience centered on survival and coercion.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically place a vulnerable protagonist into an inescapable, coercive situation orchestrated by a cunning antagonist. The plot is a fast-paced, escalating series of demands and psychological torment, where the character's will and sanity are tested in a desperate fight for survival, often leaving lasting scars.

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Movies in this thread share a core DNA of high tension, psychological manipulation, and life-or-death stakes. They create a similarly draining and anxious vibe through fast pacing, heavy emotional weight, and a focus on the trauma of being controlled.

Movies about Trauma and Survival like The Devil’s in the Details

Stories exploring the heavy psychological fallout and bittersweet survival after profound loss.For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional weight and exploration of PTSD in The Devil’s in the Details, this collection features similar stories. These films focus on the psychological aftermath of traumatic events, often ending with a bittersweet sense of survival that carries profound loss.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a character through a life-altering crisis, examining the immediate survival and the long-term psychological consequences. The story often integrates flashbacks to the trauma, focusing on the struggle to cope with grief, guilt, and a fractured sense of self, leading to an ending where physical survival is achieved but at a great emotional cost.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their deep focus on the psychological impact of trauma. They share a heavy emotional weight, a tone that balances tension with profound sadness, and endings that are bittersweet or bleak, reflecting the permanent scars left by the events.

Unlock the Full Story of The Devil’s in the Details

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Devil’s in the Details in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Devil’s in the Details is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Devil’s in the Details Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Devil’s in the Details, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Devil’s in the Details Summary

The Devil’s in the Details Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Devil’s in the Details with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Devil’s in the Details Timeline

The Devil’s in the Details Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Devil’s in the Details Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Devil’s in the Details

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