There was a time when Atom Agoyan was a darling of the indie world. The breakout film for the Egyptian born director was the 1997 drama The Sweet Hereafter, starring our very own Ian Holm.

This is only his sixth full length feature since then and it appears his popularity has waned and withered over the years. But that's not to say he's past his best just yet, as this intriguing drama proves.

Eight year old Stevie (Jet Jurgensmeyer) pleads with his mum Pam (Reese Witherspoon) to go ride out on his new bike with his friends. She agrees, as long as he's back by 4.30pm – otherwise he's grounded for two weeks.

So off Stevie rides with his two pals. They go off road in the back of beyond in West Memphis, in an area known as Robin Hood Woods. As the curfew passes Pam and her husband become worried, and their emotions are compounded when the police are slow to start looking for the missing boys.

When they do start the following day it's all too late: three bodies, with their hands and feet tied, are discovered at the bottom of the creek.

As the days pass there's a growing rumour throughout the small town that these murders were committed by a satanic cult. A month later and three teenagers are arrested for the crime, when one of them confesses after being interrogated.

Private investigator Ron Lax (Colin Firth) thinks there's something fishy with the case against the boys. And even if they did do it, he feels that the death penalty shouldn't be the answer. With that in mind, he decides to work pro bono alongside their defence team.

The longer the trial goes on, it's clear to all that the police clearly let the community down with their poor investigation. But with that aside, one burning question remains: are these three teenagers really murderers?

Based, sadly, on true life events that took place in 1993, Agoyan directs this drama as if it were a spin-off of the recent True Detectives show. Not only are there parallels with that show's dalliances with the occult, but also with its search for the truth.

Like the show, this is no flashy, trashy, gritty Hollywood number; instead Agoyan lets the story unfold at a thoughtful pace, adding pertinent issues regarding the crime as the film goes on.

There's also no main star of the film; even though Witherspoon and Firth are the headline acts, they are just parts of a strong ensemble cast who all share the responsibility (and screen time) in telling the story. It's understandable why Agoyan went down this particular road as the story is far bigger than the cast combined.

As with other films of this ilk, it's difficult to present events with a completely objective eye. Here, Agoyan presents enough evidence to suggest that justice may not have been served.

The limelight may not be on Agoyan as it once was, but that’s no bad thing if it means he can continue to offer thought-provoking films such as this, and ones that still attract big names. Firth clearly believes in his talents, as this is the second film he's acted in for the director.

Devil's Knot may feel like more of a TV project than a cinematic experience, but that's no longer the slur it once was. Agoyan proves that he's still got what it takes to tell a story, and a truly absorbing one at that.