Review of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) by Andrew S — 18 Jun 2009

"May your soul already be in heaven an hour,.

before the devil knows you're dead.".

- old Irish toast.

The astounding thing about this film is it is directed by Sidney Lumet (director of 12 Angry Men and Serpico), a man pushing through the best years of his 80's right now, and yet the film feels as vibrant and fresh and daring as if it were directed by a much younger man working in his creative prime. I shudder to think what manner of satanic deal Lumet must have made to get a second wind of this magnitude. It would be impressive from a newcomer, but for a veteran at this late a stage in his career is even more remarkable. Bordering on amazing, in fact.

This is a dark movie, a heist-gone-wrong film with its attention far away from the miscalculated robbery and more on the circumstances that surround the heist in question and the emotional fall-out. Two brothers (played by the always perfect Philip Seymour Hoffman and the serviceable Ethan Hawke) conspire to have a man rob their parents jewelry store for various self serving reasons (they need some green) and when things go terribly, terribly wrong the wheels are set in motion for a slow motion car crash. It is that family dynamic that is the driving force of the film, not the crime.

Here we follow the two brothers, as well as one of the brothers wives (played by Oscar Winner, Marisa Tomei, as Hoffman's on-screen wife) and their father (the always wonderful Albert Finney) as their lives are destroyed by a flawed conspiracy by two selfish men.

The performances are across the board excellent, with Hoffman doing his usual job of stealing the show from under everyone's noses. Albert Finney is always a joy to watch, and really gives some emotional weight that injects the finale that extra hard kick to the gut. Marisa Tomei finally defying that post-Oscar curse that ailed her for so long. Now if only Mira Sorvino, Cuba Gooding Jnr and Jamie Foxx could find a way to break the curse too.

The conclusion to the film was truly jaw dropping, a real powerhouse moment that just blows you out of your socks. I won't go into details, it's not a twist, the process of events lends it a sense of inevitability but it is the way the scene is presented, the pace and the tone, makes it one of the most unsettling scenes in recent years. Brilliant. Utterly brilliant.

Sidney Lumet, you have outdone yourself, you magnificent octogenarian bastard!