We find that these two brothers use to have it made. Their mom (Rosemary Harris) and dad still have a loving relationship and they own a jewelry store in a New York suburban mall with old hopes of the boys inheriting it down the road. Now, the boys are grown up and in serious trouble. They each drifted away from their family. Both being in such a desperate situation they’re willing to do anything. Anything! Andy is a powerful and very confidant figure and Hank is weak and very easily tempted by Andy’s proposition. All you have to do is watch Hank’s facial movements to show his nervousness. Andy comes up with a plan to rob a “mom and pop” jewelry store, doesn’t sound so dangerous, but the catch is it’s their mom and pop’s jewelry store. Andy has mapped out everything from exact day and time to perform this robbery and realizes their parents won’t loose a dime because of insurance. They’re banking on their plan to be flawless. If so no one will get hurt. Not giving away too much of the plot because it is truly a real cinema treat to watch what follows after this robbery. Amazing. It shows the greedy world we live in and how evil travels fast.

First time screenwriter Kelly Masterson balances so well between the two brothers and their problems. That’s mostly due to the unique feature that’s found in Before the Devil. She and Lumet make it a time lapsing film. We’re shown Hank’s life 3 hours before the robbery, then present time, then Andy’s life happening while Hank was doing something. Just when we think we know how a situation will go about, we’ll get that unexpected flashback scene laying the stories so fittingly. Sounds complicating but really, when the execution is perfect the pay off is a magnificent gift: a masterpiece. It does this throughout the entire film. Always springing to new surprises to us. Lumet does this out of care for his characters and for the audience. He knows we will come to be obsessed with Andy and Hank, wanting to know their every move and he does just that with slick storytelling that has such precise detail.

It’s said that it’s only 30 minutes in Heaven before the Devil knows you’re dead. Our two characters were already dead. I on the other hand was in Heaven for two hours watching this film! The only time Andy and Hank seem to be in Heaven is when they are both having sex and that even comes at an evil cause as they are doing the same woman. What makes their characters more believable and sorrowful is that they’re not your ordinary crime killers or robbers but they can be anyone of us. They’re normal human beings just trying to get out of debt.

There have been a lot of outstanding movies this year from Zodiac, Ratatouille, to Gone Baby Gone, but Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead possesses such a natural force of heartache and sorrow that it’s nearly impossible for us to take our eyes off of the screen. It’s head and shoulders above every movie so far this year. From Hoffman, who gives the best performance to date, breaking down in emotional angst in several scenes to Hawke doing the best hyperventilating scene in recent memory all the way to Finney’s severe anguish, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead combines great acting with splendid storytelling and we witness a true classic in the making.

Film Rating: **** out of ****

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Comments (6)

Great directing, great performances, an exceptional film

Acclaimed filmmaker Sidney Lumet is a one-of-a-kind director with a unique vision. At his age, he still got the magic touch and it shows in this magnificent film of a family in crisis.

I believed that Hoffman did another great portrayal, same goes with Ethan Hawke and Albert Finney and all the other cast. There are scenes that are hard to watch, not because it involve violence but because of the nature of the scene and what involves in it.

Hoffman's descent into hell is so heartbreaking that you cannot help but feel for the guy, he is not an ordinary individual with ordinary needs, he was caught by the devastating effects of drugs and he is helpless to prevent himself from doing what he did. I think he did a terrific job and it's one of the best performances for the year.

I think its at par with Denzel Washington in American Gangster, another top film for this year. I would love to see how Daniel Day Lewis in There Will be Blood fare with these 2 performances.

The film is definitely one to watch!

jedmed , December 04, 2007

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couldn't agree with you more...and really looking foward to seeing THERE WILL BE BLOOD....

dimichele305 , December 04, 2007

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The whole time I watched this movie, I felt a physically unsettling feeling just waiting for everything to blow up in the brothers' face. Similar to the feeling I had when I watched Woody Allen's MATCH POINT. There was just an underlying tension that is unrivaled in most movies of this genre. Brilliant performances from Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Jeremy , December 05, 2007

MATCHPOINT

yes jeremy you hit the nail on the head...this movie did feel a little like MATCHPOINT that as well was a powerful film, (my#2 movie of that year) i love when a movie works its emotion over to us..

dimichele305 , December 06, 2007

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I thought Capote made Hoffman an actor to reckon with, this new film (which I look forward to see this week) will only show he's really a talented actor that can take anything to the next level.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead possesses such a natural force of heartache and sorrow that it’s nearly impossible for us to take our eyes off of the screen.

pretty nice way to put it into words!

janel , December 06, 2007

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why thank you very much..i really hope you enjoy this film and CAPOTE sure did do that for HOFFMAN yet i loved his performance in TALENTED MR. RIPLEY he was scary good in there as well

dimichele305 , December 06, 2007

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