Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

What starts out as just another movie about "heist-gone-wrong" develops into an intricate plot about familial dysfunction and everyday people trying to make ends meet (although some ends are bigger than others).Only Lumet could've directed this: you can see his extremely confident camera style (albeit in the hands of expert- cinematographer Ron Fortunato) throughout the entire film. The movie constantly toys with oversaturated and overexposed shots, while filling the canvas with a pale, but distinct, blue tone.Everyone matters in this film. You never quite get the sensation that you're watching subplots or secondary characters. Every actor, and hence every character, plays a very singular role that uniquely determines the actions of the others. This is wonderfully achieved as the actors are very often placed "on-the-spot" with the camera firmly glued to them until they deliver whatever emotion is needed at that particular time. No example is more notorious of this than Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance: the intensity of the actor is paired perfectly with the acuteness of Fortunato's camera work.Each shot is carefully blocked and assembled, never allowing the actors to "take a breather", ramping up the intensity or slowly building it up at the director's whim.The movie hops back and forth between the characters timelines to further convey and deepen their connection both to the main story and to each other.Despite this non-linear structure, the subtle allusion to certain objects or events always lets the viewer know when in time the action is taking place, which could only be achieved through solid and well-thought-out editing.Before The Devil Knows You're Dead is a gem and definitely worth the time. It is a criminally underrated and underwatched film that should be seen as soon as possible.

No movie title has created more tension and anticipation in me more than Before The Devil Knows You're Dead. What a colossal disappointment then that Sidney Lumet's film ended up being a muddled, needlessly convoluted mess that dawdles towards an inevitable conclusion. Too often a film director decides that lurching around a timeline makes for a more compelling story, but this is not such a film that benefits from the structure. Flashbacks rarely act with the game-changing feel that Predestination or the TV show Lost did. During one flashback, all that is revealed is that Albert Finney's character had a driving test and his wife opened a shop (both of which were revealed through exposition before and after the flashback anyway). Rather than creating mystery, it simply creates frustration and confusion. The conclusion leaves a number of plot points unresolved - namely, Ethan Hawke's Hank - which is inconceivable considering the film's length vis a vis simple plot.The acting here is pretty terrific - Hoffman is at his dramatic high, Hawke turns out one of his best, and Finney does wonders with a character whose development beings and ends with "mad, sad, bad dad". Sadly, Marisa Tomei stares blearily into the camera during her entire nothing role. It is surprising that in a film containing three of my favourite actors, the film's highlight is a scene stealing Michael Shannon, who commanded my attention with supreme skill. The film's screenplay is cluttered, self-indulgent and largely boring. Plot points weave in and out of relevance, such as the IRS audit and Tomei's entire plot. Many characters, Hoffman especially, indulge in self-important monologues. It then glosses over important deductions, by having characters make wild assumptions that are conveniently correct. Real people don't talk or act like many of the characters in this film.Sidney Lumet's film didn't deliver on its star cast or eye-catching title, and ends up being a clotted mess around the bottom of the filmographies of those involved.

When you have a director with a fine back catalogue, some decent actors and decent budget you reckon you'll get something good. Doesn't always happen that way. This is a clunking pile of how not to make a movie. None of the characters are in any way credible; the plot line never holds up as there is no believable backstory. Why are they so messed up? Why is one derange by stress and the other driven to drugs and fraud? Why the hell would Andy's two dimensional wife have an affair with the mental brother? The storyline is so predictable even the Simpson's wouldn't bother parodying it. Sometimes a movie is so bad its laughable, but this just a waste of talent.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Two brothers plan to rob their own parents' jewelery store but things go horribly wrong. The plot seems apt for a thriller or for a crime comedy filled with black humor but director Sydney Lumet takes the difficult path of making it a dark emotional drama. Sydney uses the non-linear narration and unpredictability of events that keeps you interested. Philip Seymour Hoffman playing the no nonsense elder brother shows some solid acting. He uses his body language to express his pain and anger. Ethan Hawke playing the younger brother also does not disappoint. Albert Finney playing the role of father leaves a lasting impression in his short but important role. Movie loses some brownie points by getting too slow at times and too dark to enjoy. However, if you are still interested in going through a dark emotional crime drama then this one is a perfect fit. I am going with 7 out of 10 for Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. It's a nice old school dark drama worth trying once.