Directed by:
Sidney LumetScreenplay:
Kelly MastersonCinematography:
Ron FortunatoComposer:
Carter BurwellCast:
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei, Rosemary Harris, Aleksa Palladino, Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Brían F. O'Byrne (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Andy, an overextended broker who lures his younger brother, Hank (Ethan Hawke) into a larcenous scheme: the pair will rob a suburban mom-and-pop jewelry store that appears to be the quintessential easy target. The problem is, the store owners are Andy and Hank’s actual mom and pop and, when the seemingly perfect crime goes awry, the damage lands right at their doorstep. Marisa Tomei plays Andy’s trophy wife, who is having a clandestine affair with Hank. (THINKFilm)
(more)Videos (2)
Reviews (8)
A depressing family drama put together masterfully by director Sidney Lumet. The story is almost unpredictable, full of dark corners and incredible realities. The acting performances are great, especially Philip Seymour Hoffman is chillingly perfect. If the story hadn’t dragged in places, I would give this 5.
()
I was a little disappointed that a narrative built on mixed causality and unpredictability was left rather open-ended and unclear, but otherwise Lumet and all the actors deliver truly admirable performances. A depressing, skin-deep tale of two losers that tightens the screws from the beginning and doesn't leave even a spark of positive energy in the viewer. I don't think Hollywood has ever seen a family this tough, and the resulting insight "How fragile family relationships can be in the face of a difficult life situation" will throb in my head for a long time.
()
There's a little bit of Tarantino and a little bit of Iñárritu in this crime drama that once again poses the eternal question of guilt and punishment. The analysis of the relationship between father and son is brilliantly captured here, but also the relationship between the two brothers, which involves manipulation on the one hand and powerlessness and the inability to step out of the other's shadow on the other. The eighty-three-year-old at the time of filming Sidney Lumet proves that he still has something to say and although all the components of the film show that he is an old-school director, in this case and with such a subject it is rather to the benefit of the cause :)) 80%
()
A terribly depressing study of twisted family relationships brought on by a tragedy. The characters have more personal weaknesses and character flaws than we are used to in American films, and the screenwriter sends them to the deepest pits of hell for it. The plot is unpredictable and although the picture feels like it is 20 minutes longer than it really is, it is never boring. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a thoroughly old-school psychological drama with very good acting performances, thriller elements and a special multi-flashback composition. It will exhaust you mentally. The curse of a journalist is to see such a film in the morning or early in the afternoon, as they would feel completely devastated for the rest of the day.
()
I appreciate the retrospective style of storytelling, where we learn the whole plot from the perspectives of all involved through multiple flashbacks, but apart from that and the fine acting, the film didn't really grab me. I was expecting more action, more psychological intensity and more build-up to a complete analysis of the viewer's soul, but the whole thing is just such a forgettable "meh"...
()
Ads