... For his seniority of years Lumet's Before The Devil Knows' It You're Dead looks like the work of a young director, harsh and graphic sex between two of its stars, and a labyrinth of plot devices that could only be thrown together by a genius.
Hank (Ethan Hawke) is going through a rough ... Read review
Master filmmaker Sidney Lumet directs this absorbing suspense thriller about a family ... more
facing the worst enemy of all - itself. Andy (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is an overextended broker who lures his younger brother Hank (Ethan Hawke) into a larcenous s...
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Before The Devil Knows You're Dead Riding The Eagle Six Times Dead (16.6) Black Rain Under ... more
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Andy, a frustrated, drug-using New York accountant (Hoffman) with a failing marriage to ... more
Gina (Marisa Tomei), is in desperate need of some money. He persuades his timid younger brother (Ethan Hawke), to rob their parents' jewellery store and solve all of their monetary problems. But the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends the brothers and their father hurtling towards a shattering climax...
Andy, a frustrated, drug-using New York accountant (Hoffman) with a failing marriage to ... more
Gina (Maria Tomei), is in desperate need of some money. He persuades his timid younger brother (Ethan Hawke), to rob their parents' jewellery store and solve all of their monetary problems. But the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends the brothers and their father hurtling towards a shattering climax...
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, and MarisaTomei star in director ... more
Sidney Lumet's thriller concerning twobrothers who hatch a plan to rob their parent's jewelry store. Whenthe job goes awry, the entire family is set on a collision coursewith tragedy. Special Features: The Making of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - FeaturingInterviews with Philip SeymourHoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomeiand Sidney Lumet Filmmaker and Cast Commentary with 5-Time Academy Award Nomineeand Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Sidney Lumet and Actors EthanHawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman Theatrical Trailer
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Advantages: Groundbreaking and thrilling movie Disadvantages: Initially anoying, and a movie that distractions could prove dangerous
...his seniority of years Lumet's Before The Devil Knows' It You're Dead looks like the work of a young director, harsh and graphic sex between two of its stars, and a labyrinth of plot devices that could only be thrown together by a genius.
Hank (Ethan Hawke) is going through a rough time, permanently at war with his estranged wife and incredibly low on cash, debts and relationships are at breaking point. Out of the blue, through his ... ...to have this in mind before watching the film, with the good sense to give the movie 100% concentration. Because of this fact I was able to enjoy the movie, however those that get sidetracked will ultimately come away from the movie with a darker bleaker view of it.
If you want to enjoy this movie, you'll love it.
The story is told from the perspective of several viewpoints and from different passages in time, while ... more
Few have the longevity of quality direction like Sidney Lumet, for 60 years the director has been making quality movies that have been incredibly well received by audiences across the world; 12 Angry Men, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, Equus and Running On Empty being testament to the strength of this directors work. Now the director approaches his mid eighties with a movie that has wowed audiences across the globe picking up handfuls of nominations and awards. For his seniority of years Lumet's Before The Devil Knows' It You're Dead looks like the work of a young director, harsh and graphic sex between two of its stars, and a labyrinth of plot devices that could only be thrown together by a genius.
Hank (Ethan Hawke) is going through a rough time, permanently at war with his estranged wife and incredibly low on cash, debts and relationships are at breaking point. Out of the blue, through his brother Andy (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) an opportunity to earn some cash comes Hank's way. The plan for the ultimate crime has one flaw and it's a big one in order to earn this bounty of cash Hank needs to rob his own parent's store, but the perfect heist goes terribly wrong and as one person dies and another lies in the balance both Hank and Andy find themselves in a dark world where the death may be the best option.
Straight off the bat if you don't have a good level of concentration then you don't want to be watching this movie. It's one of those films where the slightest of distractions could affect the whole outcome of the movie for you as the viewer. Even a casual glance across the room, or a mind wander could have a devastating effect to how this movie will work. Thankfully being a fan of Lumet's more tight knit works I had the good fortune to have this in mind before watching the film, with the good sense to give the movie 100% concentration. Because of this fact I was able to enjoy the movie, however those that get sidetracked will ultimately come away from the movie with a darker bleaker view of it.
If you want to enjoy this movie, you'll love it.
The story is told from the perspective of several viewpoints and from different passages in time, while initially this is quite annoying in hindsight and having experienced a few of these scenes it actually serves the picture well. With each exposure to this time distortion a little piece of the bigger story is revealed, with the obvious final aspect being the most dramatic.
What makes the movie work so well is the cleverly picked cast led my man of the moment Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Hoffman's portrayal of Andy is really dark and sinister from the opening scene of him having quite explicit sex with his wife Gina (Marisa Tomei), to the ongoing journey, there is never any joy in Andy's life and as things get on top of him his response gets worse and worse. Hoffman out acts any of his previous roles, with disturbing habits and addictions, and the most brutal final moments I have ever seen delivered from an A-List star, all the movies jaw dropping moments of which there are many revolve around Hoffman.
The casting of Ethan Hawke is very good, the most likeable character of the movie he is led down darker paths by questionable souls within the film. If you're familiar with being on the bread line where you're every penny counts then you'll be rooting for Hawke for the whole movie. I always find something really likeable about Hawke, and his performance here is not necessarily his best, it's a close second. The key point in his performance is that you believe all the horrible things that are happening are really happening to Hawke, he seems like more than just an actor playing a character on screen.
But it's Albert Finney that steals the movies ending from under Hoffman's nose, turning out again a performance of the actor's career. All the way through I kept thinking that his character was a little unhinged as the father to Hank and Andy, Charles. As the movie enters the final segment you get a real feel as to why he seems on the outside and somewhat withdrawn from the other events.
Marisa Tomei is good in her role but there is nothing here that I have not seen before, and having seen her last year in FX's flagship show Rescue Me it's almost like she has duplicated the character to this movie. Stunning, beautiful, and edgy even with her dark little secret she can't keep up with the other stars; but I guess she does not need to, it's just hard in a movie with such solid performances not to criticise the slightly weaker performance.
Out of the blue comes an old face in the form of Leonardo Cimino (Dune and V) as William the dodgy diamond merchant operating in a sinister part of town. Old and surely in need of retirement William is the most finger pulsed character in the movie. Grinding away at his diamond grinder he must surely be the referenced "Devil" of the picture; wizened and quite cutting his delivery of a name paves a dark path towards the movies conclusion.
My view of Before The Devil Knows It You're Dead changed as the movie progressed, initially I felt it was while having a cutting edge look a little stayed. But those little story reveals send a cold shiver across your back, well certainly mine. By the conclusion of the film I was just beside myself the feeling of dark elation flowing across me almost if Cimino's Devil had paid me a personal visit. The blackness of the movies conclusion thrilling me in ways I had not felt from a movie in years.
Before The Devil Knows It You're Dead is at cinemas now.
Advantages: Performances, writing, direction Disadvantages: None
...returns to top form in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead - a devilishly tense (pun intended), sprawling, melodramatic puzzle of a film. The film’s title comes from a famous Irish blessing, which declares, “And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead”, verbiage very much apt for protagonist brothers Andy (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Hank (Ethan Hawke).
In short, Andy and Hank, both short of money for various reasons, ... ...subsequently dart around various days before and after it, which reveals to us a wealth of important and, at times, shocking information. The initial robbery is an intense, gripping scene of intrigue, ending in a violent eruption, yet soon enough, we are sent plunging backwards to three days prior to this. Such flashbacks are often disorientating and ancillary to the plot, yet in this instance, they are satisfying, and moreover, necessary – they ...
asdasta632 26.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead DVD
Advantages: Great script and great acting...oh and Marisa Tomei Disadvantages: Like marmite you'll either love it or hate it
Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
Sidney Lumet best known for his work such as 12 Angry Men and Dog Day Afternoon returns with the modern day Greek Tragedy that takes its name from part of an Irish blessing "May you be in heaven half an hour Before The Devil Knows You're Dead."
Brothers Andrew Hanson (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Hank (Ethan Hawke) arrange to rob their parent's jewellery store in a bid to resolve their financial worries. Everybody ... ...main talking points about this film is the opening scene which is graphic and let's face it…simply unpleasant but that aside Before The Devil Knows You're Dead is a fantastic film which is definitely up there with Lumet's best work and unquestionably deserves more recognition. Leon Nicholson ...
blackman007 16.07.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead DVD
Advantages: good acting, merisa tomi's naked rack. Disadvantages: really weak writting for such a great concept.
The reason I picked up and bought this dvd was the storyline alone sounded potentially interestin. Phillip Seymor Hoffman, Ethan Hawk and Merrisa Tomi sounded like a tasty cast, and of course havin seen a small handfull of Sidney Lumets movies, I thought this would be a good watch.
However, no matter how good I thought the concept was, there was to much stupid shit appearing in the story that left me a tad annoyed, I wont mention alot due to spoilers, ... ...lets customers shoot up in his luxury flat leaving his safe full of drugs and cash open to the world??? There is alot of contradictions here. The cast was good, I've unintentionally seen a string of PSH flicks recently, and he seems to have a knack for playin the unlikabele perverse character. Merisa Tomi got her boobers out which on her part, was just lovely acting. But the dialouge was weak and obvious, and the ending just left me unfullfilled ...
the.martin 21.09.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead DVD
Advantages: cast, narrative Disadvantages: choppy exposition of the plot
...the worst you can imagine? Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is going to challenge it. Through a nasty sequence of coincidences we watch the destruction of several lives, all derived from the characters' own willingness to descend into chaos.
The concept is driven by numerous flashbacks over the plot timeline, which revolves around the robbery of a jewelry store. The viewer is given little pieces of important information over time, with multiple ... ...the evil, plotting and ultimately punished character is top notch. The calm decline into insanity of a broken man is represented in a way I've never seen before. Ethan Hawke's character is drawn into the plot for being the brother of the protagonist, and he is able to convey perfectly the frenetic mental perturbation involved. One cannot help but grow emotionally attached to the family of the two brothers, as Albert Finney upstages the rest of the ...
Morellli 29.09.2008 (02.10.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead DVD
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Advantages: A good performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman. Disadvantages: An irritating structure, poor writing and lazy direction.
that takes itself very seriously. It opens with dour harp and string arrangements accompanied by rising woodwinds that assure you that what will follow won't be light entertainment. Tense situations are reflected in the use of gamelan, metallic percussion and forbidding, rising strings intended to set nerves jangling. The seriousness of particular scenes is underlined by piano and flute motifs, while rising timpani in conjunction with flutes and harps tries to add drive to other sequences. But overall the music is overused and unimaginative.
"Before the DevilKnowsYou'reDead" is a film that thinks itself far more innovative than it really is. But there is nothing new or imaginative enough to differentiate it from a whole slew of post-Tarantino crime movies. The direction relies on too many sterile technical tricks to make you care about ...
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