Cutler: The Devil's Own

In The Devil's Own, family is an important theme and shown as central in the Irish and Irish-American way of life. Frankie McGuire enters Tom O'Meara's family under false pretenses and witnesses his close-knit nuclear family. As a child, Frankie witnessed his father's murder and it changed his perspective. He became an IRA terrorist and the film chronicles his attempt at buying and shipping missiles for the IRA cause. In America, he stays with the  O'Meara family, who are unaware of his true identity. They welcome him and Tom seems pleased to have another man in the house, thinking he is just helping a fellow Irishman trying to start a new life in America.

The scene when the O'Meara family is celebrating Morgan's confirmation is an important representation of Frankie's (who goes by Rory Devaney) acceptance by Tom and his family. The large celebration at the O'Meara house shows Frankie dancing with the family. Tom embraces Frankie and is happy that he's there celebrating with their family. Throughout the movie, Tom treats Frankie like a son and feels betrayed when he finds out that Frankie is not really who he thought he was. The familial theme of this film can be characterized by Frankie and Tom's father-and-son-like relationship and the confirmation party scene personifies their bond.