What Is The Devil and Max Devlin About?
The premise of The Devil and Max Devlin in 276 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles, a crumbling tenement house serves as the backdrop for a story that mingles low‑life grit with otherworldly intrigue. Max Devlin, a wiry landlord who has learned to profit from the despair of his tenants, meets a sudden end in a bus‑sized collision that flings him into an unexpected afterlife. There, a sleek, corporate‑styled version of Hell greets him, where the devil’s chief lieutenant, Barney, offers a tempting loophole: a chance to return to the living world if Max can persuade three innocent souls to barter theirs within two months.
The bargain comes with a twist. Max is granted limited supernatural abilities—enough to tip the scales of fate—but also placed under strange restrictions, such as an inability to see his own reflection. The three targets span a broad spectrum of vulnerability: a teenage girl with big dreams, a restless adolescent yearning for popularity, and a seven‑year‑old boy whose simple request—to see Max marry his widowed mother—adds a surreal, almost childlike demand to the mix. The premise sets up a clash between Max’s street‑wise cynicism and the naive hope of those he is meant to tempt, creating a tension that feels both comedic and ominously moral.
The film balances a tone that is at once sardonic and wistful, using its supernatural premise to comment on ambition, desperation, and the bargains people make for a shot at a better life. With a visual palette that shifts from gritty urban realism to the stylized eeriness of an infernal corporate office, the story invites the audience to wonder whether Max will become the manipulator the devil desires—or uncover something more unexpected in the process.
What Happens in The Devil and Max Devlin?
The complete story of The Devil and Max Devlin, from the first scene to the last, in 500 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Max Devlin, Elliott Gould, is the shady landlord of a rundown Los Angeles slum, always skirting his tenants’ anger as they mutter that he both owns and profits from the dilapidated building. During a chaotic escape from a mob of tenants, a passing bus ends his life, and he plummets into hell, a realm that mirrors a cold, corporate headquarters. There he meets Barney Satin, the devil’s top henchman, Bill Cosby, who lays out a ruthless bargain: he will grant Max release if he can recruit three innocent souls to sell theirs in exchange for his own freedom. Max agrees, is returned to the living world, but Barney retains his own soul and forbids Max from seeing his reflection in mirrors. To help him in the quest, Barney grants Max limited magical powers and explains that the three subjects will continue to live until their natural end if the deals go through.
Back among the living, Max targets three vulnerable lives: Stella Summers, Julie Budd, a high school dropout with dreams of becoming a singer; Nerve Nordlinger, David Knell, a student who yearns for popularity; and Toby Hart, Adam Rich, a child who longs for his widowed mother Penny Hart, Susan Anspach, to find happiness again. Max begins to weave himself into their lives: he helps Stella land a recording contract, he trains Nerve as a motorbike racer after school, and he spends time with Toby while assisting Penny in running a daycare facility. As he draws closer to all three, Max finds that he’s starting to care for them—and he even falls in love with Penny. Yet the trio’s souls must be signed away, and the path to success becomes morally murky.
Stella stubbornly refuses to sign, suspicious that Max is chasing more than his 20 percent fee as her manager. Nerve too becomes more focused on his racing future, while Toby agrees to sign only if Max marries Penny. Eventually all three sign, and their personalities immediately darken in the wake of the contracts. Max and Penny wed, but Barney returns with a grim revelation: the three will die at midnight, and while Max may live to the natural end of his life, he is irrevocably damned. Enraged by the deceit, Max considers destroying the contracts, but Barney whisks him back to hell, revealing his true demonic form and threatening even greater torment if Max attempts to ruin the agreements. Believing himself doomed, Max hurls the papers into a nearby fire—and somehow returns to life.
Convinced he is still damned, Max leaves his wedding reception to bid farewell to Nerve and Stella, only to find their personalities have returned to normal. When he reappears to say goodbye to Toby and Penny, he is overjoyed to discover he can again see his reflection in a mirror, and he surmises that his self-sacrifice has redeemed him and defeated Barney. That night, he attends Stella’s concert with Penny and Toby, and, looking toward the heavens, he offers a quiet, grateful thanks.
The Devil and Max Devlin Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Max Devlin's life as a slumlord in LA” to “Final gratitude at Stella's concert”. 13 events name a place, across 13 locations.
- 1
Max Devlin's life as a slumlord in LA
Max Devlin is the shady landlord of a rundown Los Angeles slum, exploiting tenants and cutting corners to keep his profits high. His predatory attitude sets the stage for the conflicts that haunt his life. The day-to-day grind of his power is about to collide with a life-changing turn of fate.
When:Present day Where:Los Angeles slums
- 2
Death by bus and descent into hell
While fleeing an angry crowd of tenants, Max is struck and killed by a bus. He finds himself in a hell that resembles a ruthless corporate headquarters, a surreal afterlife where he meets Barney Satin, the devil's chief henchman. Barney offers Max a deal: release from death in exchange for recruiting three innocents to sell their souls to spare his own.
When:Moments after the chase Where:Los Angeles street / Hell
- 3
Barney Satin's grim bargain
Barney explains the grim bargain: Max will be freed only if he can lure three unsuspecting people into signing away their souls. Max agrees and is returned to life, but Barney retains his own soul and makes sure Max cannot see his reflection in a mirror. He also grants him limited magical powers to aid in the mission.
When:After death Where:Hell
- 4
Powers granted and mission explained
Barney clarifies the rules: the three subjects will live out their natural lives if they sign, and Max must shepherd them to the signatures. With his new powers, Max begins the quest in earnest and starts to feel a strange sense of responsibility.
When:Immediately after his return to life Where:Los Angeles / Hell (afterlife coordination)
- 5
Stella Summers targeted
Max lands a recording contract for Stella Summers, a struggling singer with big potential, using his influence as her manager. The gleam of success blinds him to the moral cost of exploiting her talents.
When:Early stage in Stella's career Where:Recording studio / LA music scene
- 6
Nerve Nordlinger targeted
Max trains Nerve Nordlinger as a motorbike racer after school, pushing him toward fame and popularity. He mentors and engineers Nerve's every move, hoping to secure the fated signatures.
When:After school Where:School grounds / racing track
- 7
Toby Hart and Penny involved
Max spends time with Toby Hart and helps Penny run a day care facility, growing closer to Penny in the process. The deeper he gets into their lives, the more uneasy he becomes about what he is doing.
When:Ongoing Where:Penny's day care / Toby's neighborhood
- 8
Moral conflict and romance
Max begins to care for all three subjects and even falls for Penny, creating a moral struggle over signing away their souls. He fights the temptation to skip the hard truths to secure a clean exit.
When:Ongoing Where:Various locations in LA
- 9
All signatures secured
Max finally obtains all three signatures, triggering a swift and unsettling change in their personalities. Stella becomes calculating and distrustful, Nerve fixates on the next big victory, and Toby's sunny demeanor darkens.
When:After signing Where:Stella's studio / Nerve's arena / Toby's life
- 10
Wedding and midnight revelation
Barney appears at Max and Penny's wedding and reveals the grim deadline: the three subjects will die at midnight, and although Max himself will live to his natural end, his soul remains damned. The revelation shatters any hope of easy redemption.
When:Midnight Where:Wedding reception / Hell's shadow
Show the other 3 events of The Devil and Max Devlin Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Contract showdown
Max tries to destroy the contracts, but Barney drags him back to Hell in his true demonic form and warns of greater torment if Max goes through with it. In a burst of defiance, Max hurls the papers into a nearby fire and is abruptly returned to life.
When:Midnight to after Where:Hell / Wedding venue
- 12
Redemption and mirror sight restored
Believing himself still damned, Max leaves the wedding reception to bid farewell to Nerve and Stella, only to discover that their personalities have returned to normal. He also finds that he can see himself in a mirror again, interpreting this as proof that his self-sacrifice redeemed him and defeated Barney.
When:Post-wedding Where:Wedding venue / Penny and Toby's life
- 13
Final gratitude at Stella's concert
That night, Max attends Stella's concert with Penny and Toby, looks toward Heaven, and gives thanks for his second chance. The miracle feels complete as the crowd cheers in the background.
When:That night Where:Stella's concert venue, LA
Who Are the Main Characters in The Devil and Max Devlin?
6 characters, among them Max Devlin (Elliott Gould), Stella Summers (Julie Budd) and Nerve Nordlinger (David Knell): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Max Devlin (Elliott Gould)
Played by Elliott Gould
A cynical, opportunistic slumlord who is killed and returns with demonic powers to manipulate others for his survival. He begins to care for his subjects, glimpsing a capacity for decency and love, and ultimately sacrifices himself to avert greater damnation.
- 🎭 Ambition
- 😈 Temptation
- 🕊️ Redemption
- SS
Stella Summers (Julie Budd)
Played by Julie Budd
A high school dropout and aspiring singer who Max tries to mold into a star by landing a recording contract. She resists fully selling her soul, showing early on that she values autonomy and remains wary of Max’s motives.
- 🎵 Talent
- 🎭 Ambition
- ✨ Stardom
- NN
Nerve Nordlinger (David Knell)
Played by David Knell
A student desperate for popularity whom Max trains as a motorbike racer. His hunger for fame drives his choices, illustrating how quickly external approval can shape identity and choices.
- 🏍️ Fame
- 🎭 Vanity
- 🎯 Ambition
- TH
Toby Hart (Adam Rich)
Played by Adam Rich
A child who longs for his widowed mother Penny to find happiness. He becomes a focal point of Max’s manipulation and later a symbol of innocence that Max fights to protect and restore.
- 👶 Innocence
- ❤️ Family
- 🎯 Hope
-
Penny Hart (Susan Anspach)
Played by Susan Anspach
Toby’s widowed mother who runs a day-care facility and becomes involved with Max. She experiences a mix of hope and trust, ultimately finding genuine love and happiness with Max, and their lives return to normal after his self-sacrifice.
- 👩👧👦 Family
- ❤️ Love
- 🕊️ Redemption
- BS
Barney Satin (Bill Cosby)
Played by Bill Cosby
The devil’s chief henchman, a scheming tempter who dangling contracts before Max and frequently taunts him. He embodies manipulation and danger, watching Max’s progress with a calculating, punitive eye.
- 👹 Devil
- 🧠 Manipulation
- 🗝️ Deals
Where and When Is The Devil and Max Devlin Set?
The Devil and Max Devlin is set in Los Angeles and California. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Los Angeles, California
The story unfolds in a rundown slum district of Los Angeles where Max Devlin operates as a harsh landlord ruling over decaying tenements. The gritty urban backdrop emphasizes the social struggles of tenants and the corrupt power dynamic at the heart of the tale. This setting also frames the supernatural bargain with hellish overtones, adding a surreal contrast to the everyday urban life.
- 🏙️ Urban
- 🏚️ Slums
- 🌆 City life
What Are the Themes of The Devil and Max Devlin?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Deal & Temptation, Love & Sacrifice and Morality & Redemption.
-
01
Deal & Temptation
A bargain with a cosmic deceiver drives Max to manipulate three youths for his own survival, highlighting how ambition can corrupt and blind. The plot hinges on the perilous lure of easy power, showing how quickly good intentions can be twisted when people are pressed by temptation. It foregrounds the tension between surface charm and inner morality. The consequences ripple through Stella, Nerve, and Toby, revealing that personal gain can come at the cost of others. The arc ultimately tests whether redemption is possible when choices are driven by self-preservation.
-
02
Love & Sacrifice
Max’s relationship with Penny and his care for Stella, Nerve, and Toby bring a moral dimension to his quest. The story suggests that genuine affection and self-sacrifice can redeem even a morally compromised soul. His final act of self-denial reorients the narrative toward forgiveness.
-
03
Morality & Redemption
The deal’s consequences force characters to confront right and wrong beyond personal gain. The false promises of contracts reveal how morality governs actions more than self-interest. Redemption arrives through choosing others’ well-being over self-preservation.
-
04
Illusion & Identity
Under the contracts, the targets’ personalities deteriorate, exposing the fragility of identity tied to power and fame. The film shows how external success can corrupt inner character, while true self-awareness returns once the manipulation ends. The mirror imagery also plays into Max’s eventual acknowledgment of his true nature.
What Kind of Film Is The Devil and Max Devlin?
Light in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Light
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A whimsical and lighthearted comedy-fantasy that follows a man's redemptive journey from damnation to salvation, blending supernatural antics with heartfelt moments of connection and a final uplifting victory.
- whimsical
- lighthearted
- redemptive
- optimistic
- comedic
- supernatural
- selling soul to the devil
- redemption arc
- found family
- self sacrifice
Quiz
How well do you remember The Devil and Max Devlin? Test yourself on the story.
