Successfully Unsubscribed

Please allow up to 10 days for your unsubscription request to be processed.

Devotion - Paramount+ Movie Review

Movies & TV

By Sam R.

- Jan 24, 2023

Devotion takes place during the 1950s. The Soviets are in possession of the bomb. Playing beach volleyball is still uncommon among Navy jet pilots.

See Also: Pressure Cooker - Reality TV Hit Review

Jesse Brown, played by Majors, has just moved into a new house next door to a scowling White woman. This woman promptly complains to the police that he, his wife Daisy (Christina Jackson), and their young daughter are making too much noise.

Jesse and his family are subsequently arrested for their behavior. The volume on the hi-fi wasn't all that high. I have a good feeling about this: she was going to report them for "enjoying themselves while being Black." Jesse had just returned home after spending the day at the navy installation. While there he was introduced to Tom Hudner, his new wingman (Powell).

Jesse is a talented pilot, superior to the majority and possibly even the finest. A Black guy serving in the armed forces has little room for error. Thus, he has no choice but to be as good as he can be. He doesn't drink and mainly keeps to himself. On his first day working at the Rhode Island base, Tom overhears Jesse in the locker room spitting racial epithets into the mirror. He was doing this in order to mentally prepare himself for any future abuse that might come his way.

Thankfully, Jesse doesn't have to be concerned about Tom at all. When they were in the air, Tom had to work more to keep up with Jesse. This gained him some respect. Tom offers to give Jesse a ride after Jesse's car breaks down. During the ride, Tom takes Jesse to his house and introduces him to his family. Daisy draws Tom aside on the night of their departure on a mission in which they will be countering Soviet moves in the Mediterranean, and she asks him in a direct manner to "be there" for Jesse.

As soon as we talk to her, we find out that she has complete faith in her husband's abilities as a pilot. He has exceptional skills in his field of work. Tom was not the intended recipient of her comment. She hopes that he will become Jesse's ally.

And so, on the aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Italy, Tom confronts a bigoted adversary who is attempting to get on Jesse's nerves. Tom is getting ready to give the guy the business. As a result of Jesse's efforts to de-escalate the situation, there are no fights. They immediately get to work learning how to fly the new Corsair jets and how to maneuver them.

After, they get rigorous instructions on how to fly the new planes. They are able to relax and unwind in Cannes. Here, Jesse has a chance encounter with Liz Taylor (played by Serinda Swan) - yes, THAT Liz Taylor – who invites the pilots to a casino party. They are given risky missions in the air after being dispatched to the Pacific after China and the Soviet Union gave their support to North Korea in its invasion of South Korea. They have each other's backs, which is more essential than the fact that they seem destined to become heroes.

Devotion is now available for streaming on Paramount+.