Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

Not awesome...

Wasn't the best movie, wasn't aweful. It was very long, didn't think it would end. Not sure if i would recommend it to people unless they are movie buffs. I guess I had bigger expectations. October 31, 2008

Lumet: Still The Master Filmmaker

When I heard aging director Sidney Lumet was attached to BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD, I was dubious about its success. Not because Lumet has any stains on his record! Quite the contrary. With films like 12 Angry Men, Serpico, and Fail Safe to his astounding credit, he is well-known as a vintage director of classic melodramas. But his age (83 at the time this film was made) could've been a factor; old-style filmmaker does old-style job again. But any fears were quickly whisked away once I started watching his latest film.

Not surprisingly, when Hollywood heard the name "Lumet" and that it was involved with a new movie, several bigshots jumped at the chance to be in it. And this was a very good thing. Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) heads this all-star melodrama (yes, it's still a melodrama and that's a VERY good thing) alongside Ethan Hawke (Lord of War) and the incredibly sexy Marisa Tomei (Wild Hogs). Forming a kind of triumvirate of misfits, Lumet takes the audience on a wild ride both in terms of how the timing of the film is laid out (jumping from date to date and perspective to perspective) and what each of them is up to. Hoffman turns in another excellent performance as Andy, a man with financial and drug issues and married to the beautiful Gina (Tomei). Gina is lost amidst her husband's distant actions and shut-in existence and finds solace with his brother Hank (Hawke).

Hank is also having financial woes and isn't the brightest bulb in the package. And when his brother Andy (Hoffman) comes to him with a plan to hold up a jewelry store in order to solve their problems, Andy is hesitantly for it ...until he learns Andy's plan is to rob their own parents' store. Store owner and parents Charles (Albert Finney, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride) and Nanette (Rosemary Harris, Spider-Man 3) are completely oblivious to their son's plan and when Hank hires a man to help him rob the store, things go horribly wrong.

It is to Lumet's credit that he spearheads the issues each character deals with and does so without extending it/them into boredom; an area that has plagued many past melodramas. Sexy, dangerous, and frighteningly realistic, Lumet delivers a film that picks up tension as the characters spiral out of control. Even Charles (Finney) isn't immune to the pressures of these horrific events, finding himself making a decision no father should ever be in the position of making.

Again, it is to Lumet's credit that he's not afraid to move with the times and show us he knows what works for audiences. The opening sex sequence will certainly grab many viewers. Lumet also isn't afraid to use new technology in his filming; he's all digital. This speaks to his understanding of how well he sees filmmaking as an art, which includes how light falls onto film versus into the digital 1s and 0s. October 27, 2008

One of the Best Films of 2007

Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake


Director Sidney Lumet's BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD was one of the very best pictures of 2007, and it's a shame that it was ignored during the Academy Awards. Certainly the script, direction and performances were much better than in many of the films that were honored.

A melodrama in the best sense of the word, the New York-based film, written by Kelly Masterson, tells of two brothers (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke) who are desperate for money. They decide to solve their problem by holding up a suburban mom-and-pop jewelry store, an easy target.

The problem is that the store owners are the boys' parents (Albert Finney, Rosemary Harris) and, during the robbery, actually carried out by Hawke's buddy, something goes terribly wrong.

Now, the brothers have to not only cover their tracks because Finney is determined to find the guilty party, but they must also deal with a blackmailer.

The climax is both shocking and violent, as everything for the brothers seems to spin out of control.

Marisa Tomei co-stars as Hoffman's wife, who just happens to be having an affair with Hawke, and Amy Ryan plays Ethan's former spouse.

You don't want to miss this one.

© Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (available December 2008) October 26, 2008

A Five Star Film And Then Some!

I just saw this movie on cable tv and it's one of the most powerful movies I've ever seen. People rating this movie poorly because it's depressing, because the characters are slimy and because they can't keep up with the time jumps??? Excuse me, where was it written that movies are supposed to be happy go lucky affairs with lovable characters and easy to follow narration? The negative reviewers probably need to stick with Disney movies which I think will have more of what they're looking for in a movie.

If however you want to see a film with phenomenal acting, and with a powerful twist on the common theme of greed/money/drugs corrupting and ruining lives you've found your film. I was left emotionally exhausted after watching this movie, as I have encountered similar low and dark periods in my life. The scene where the character played by Philip Hoffman starts randomly knocking stuff over in his apartment on purpose really hit home. For anyone who's hit a similar low in their life, you'll know what I'm talking about.

I can't recommend this movie enough. I don't write many reviews on amazon and usually only take the time to do so for something I either really hated or really loved. Warning, this is not a feel good movie at all! It is meant to be depressing and the characters are meant to be slimy. That's life folks. It would be great if life was like a Walt Disney movie, but it's a big, scary, mean, depressing world out there and this movie does an amazing job of presenting it in all it's glory. October 25, 2008

Mining The Depths Of Stupidity

Listen, Man. This sure had all the indicators of a promising few hours, with the cast and director having proved themselves through the years. It's impossible to feel any sympathy for any of the characters in this film, 'cuz they're all either too selfish or stupid to exist. Good acting? Sure, but to what end? The movie jumps back & forth in a very distracting manner, and Hawke's character is darn dumb I wanted to rip him outta the TV and strangle him. Believability is shot early on in this lame attempt at suspense. Several loose ends, but really it don't matter, because at least the agony is over. Marisa's lovely presence is the only reason I sat through it to the end. Lame, lame, lame otherwise. Wanna sey Hoffman in something worthwhile, get Love Liza or Owning Mahoney. Avoid this stinkbomb. October 6, 2008

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