Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Great cast. Sidney Lumet truly did an astounding job with this film. Lumet shared with us one of his best films and it is a shame he and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died just last year, are no longer here to share anymore profound masterpieces.

I saw this a few years back and what I can say is it was an amazing film. The acting was well constructed as it would be expected of Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman. But not one in the film captivated the debilitating affects of tension and concern as well as Hoffman himself.

The film had its share of humor and the supporting roles were brilliant and authentic.

It seemed as though as the film had progressed, the intense suspense in the film as well as the sharp acting seemed to just envelop you even more. The entire atmosphere just impacts the audience deeply and leaves a thrill of excitement that is still felt after the film.

A film close to perfection and one I will see again any time.

After a cold sex scene, between Andy and Gina, in South America, we know that Andy is a payroll manager who finds himself in a hard economic situation where he badly needs some extra money… We also discover that he has been stealing from his job and using the money to his drug habits… He's also attempting to keep up with his wife, who just might be having an affair…

To solve all their problems, he persuades his brother—a likable loser—to join him in a plan to steal their own parent's small store… Their parents are happily married and proprietors of a jewelry store situated in New York's Westchester County… Sixty thousand dollars is all they'll need to get their life out of desperation…

Three main characters are important in this movie…

First the two brothers… Each of them is a complex individual, threatened with multiple motivations, and sunk into doubts and disappointments… The two are desperate characters, financially and emotionally…

Andy is selfish… He feels that he has never had the love of his father… He is the corrupting influence, turning his brother into an assailant, and his beautiful woman into an adulteress…

Hank is a puppet too weak to resist his brother's wishes… His ex-wife is one of the reasons he needs money as he owes her hundreds in child support…. He longs to regain the confidence he once had with his father…

The third character is their weary and deplorable father Charles Hanson (Albert Finney), especially in the haunting climactic scenes…

Telling you more about the details could lessen the impact of the film, and therefore the entertainment...

Tomei's performance conveys great depth and emotion even with her look, her touch, her particular move…

Lumet's direction is firm, fresh and brutal.

I'm writing this review after my second viewing of 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.' I watched it on DVD when it first came out and, to be honest, it didn't leave that much of a lasting impression on me. If you asked me to describe it, I'd probably say something like, 'Oh, it was about a heist... or something.' To be fair, that is part of the film. I don't know what I started thinking about it years later, but I decided to give it another go. And I'm glad I did. Yes, it's about a heist. Although, the main ingredient in this film is about moral dilemmas. Two brothers (Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke), both with financial problems, decide to rob their parents' jewellery store as a way of making a fast buck (while not admitting that they're heavily in debt – and why).

Naturally, things don't go their way and both of them find themselves stuck in an ever deceasing spiral as more and more things get out of control. I won't go into the actual plot in too much detail, as anything I say will probably spoilt the film of you. However, what is nice is that you can see things from their points of view. Both men have problems. Yes, there may be easier (legal?!) ways of getting cash, but both have already gone too far to be able to turn around and utilise legitimate money-making means. Then, when things start to go wrong, everything happens logically. You'll feel for the two men (even if you don't always like them). Albert Finney is on the cast list and he does a good job, too. Although his part is decidedly smaller than his two on-screen sons, but what he does he does well.

'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead' is a slow film. Maybe when I watched it before I was expecting some sort of 'action-orientated' gangster film where people are shooting each other and delivering a witty quip here and there. It's nothing like that. If you're looking for that sort of experience, look somewhere else. This film is quieter, subtle and sadder in tone. It's also nearly two hours long, but, despite being slow, that's not a bad thing.

If you're in the mood for 'thoughtful' over 'thrilling' give this one a go. I'm definitely going to watch it again – probably in a few years, but definitely.

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD starts off promisingly, setting up a simple heist that goes awry, told from varying perspectives (in RASHOMON style). At around the hour mark, Sidney Lumet transforms this film into something that is so much more than the sum of its parts; it eventually morphs into a multi-faceted family drama, exploring the full realm of human emotions/relations, as the story comes to its chilling climax.

As is the case with Lumet, he manages to coax exceptional performances out of his star-studded cast, without any notion of over-acting or hyperbole. Philip Seymour Hoffman, in one of his best roles, is a complex, mysterious, and interesting character, and oftentimes dwarfs Ethan Hawke, who plays his brother, Hank. That's not to say that Hawke is not bad; in fact he is quite above adequate, in a troubled role that suits his style. Marisa Tomei is excellent for her relatively short appearance (the fact that she bares her flesh adds to this). Albert Finney's character (Andy and Hank's father) is the most intriguing, and in my opinion, he deserved a bit more screen-time. Amy Ryan also performs her job adequately.

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD is not an exceptional movie, but it proves that Lumet is still near the top of his game at the (apparent) twilight of an illustrious career. Many of his characteristics and trademarks appear here, not least of which involves the use of his characters. Infused with a killer script (no pun intended), smart dialogue and pacing, and a decent score, BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD is a must-see. A truly underrated gem. 8/10. 3 stars (out of 4). Should just enter my Top 250 at 248. Highly recommended.

"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" (2007) is the last film directed by Sidney Lumet, a master master of the artform, having previously directed masterpieces such as "12 Angry Men" (1957) and "Network" (1976).

This is gritty cinema, marked by focused direction, intriguing writing, non-linear storytelling, great pacing in editing, and a very tough emotional tone.

Unsurprisingly, Philip Seymour Hoffman completely outshines a relatively strong cast, including a mediocre Marisa Tomei, a strong performance by both Ethan Hawke, an even outshines Albert Finney who delivers a brilliant performance. He simply steals the show and once again is truly Oscar-worthy. How can one be surprised; in my book, Seymour Hoffman is among, if not the single greatest actor of his generation - and yes, I'm considering him up against masters such as DiCaprio, Pitt, Phoenix, Bale, Gyllenhaal, Blanchett, Colman, Adams, Davis, and Swinton.

Highly recommended and a great swan song from Lumet!