First of all, remember this is a low-budget made-for-TV show that crams way too much stuff into too little time, suitable for viewing for just about any audience, dealing with the most difficult and harrowing subject matter of the past 100 years through the eyes of a shallow self-centered post-Reagan brat by some cosmic wrinkle in order to set her straight. When you consider all that it's not all that bad and probably a fairly good way to introduce younger children to the subject matter without giving them the nightmares like Schindler's List might do. The weakest performance is that of Kristin Dunst who at times (perhaps more often than not) seems like she's on prozac, and if you can get over that and the simplistic stereotypes then give it a shot. I only wish they had cast someone for the main character who tried harder to connect with her character when she experienced devastating things like being ripped away from her family by time instead of seeming mildly put out - but then part of that was also bad writing due partly I'm sure to time and budget constraints.
Review of The Devil's Arithmetic
