Review of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) by Chads. — 15 Dec 2007
Is there such a thing as an uplifting downer? That can be the only apt way to describe "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead", which to me, plays like "Death of a Salesman" as film noir.
A palpable excitement will build inside your cerebral cortex as you watch Andy(Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and Hank(Ethan Hawke) descend into hell. The entire story takes place almost entirely in broad daylight.
The dark places are inside their hearts. It's like watching two cockroaches with no place to hide. "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" scorches the screen with old familial resentments and betrayals.
There's no redemption for Andy, the ringleader, only comeuppance. The look on Charles' face(Albert Finney's face) is unfatherly, understandable, and unbelievably hateful. For once, the non-linear structure of the screenplay doesn't feel arbitrary.
The stops and reverses help amplify and clarify the next great, gut-wrenching pitstop, en route to a wonderfully malevolent realization of catharsis for the vigilante. "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a great white-knuckle ride.
It will drain you. It's a near-masterpiece.
This review of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) was written by Chads. on 15 Dec 2007.
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead has generally received very positive reviews.
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