Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

Director: Sidney Lumet.
Written By: Kelly Masterson.
Photography: Kelly Masterson.
Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei and Albert Finney.
Year: 2007.
Country: USA.


Before The Devil Knows You're Dead sounds like a title for a Woody Allen film, but it's actually the last film from legendary director, Sidney Lumet.

 I have to say that from the man that gave us Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon and the masterpiece that is 12 Angry Men, one of the greatest movies ever made; Before The Devil Knows You're Dead is not a fitting end to a great career.

 It could have been worse, His penultimate film, Find Me Guilty, which wasn't even released here in the UK but, unfortunately, I have seen, stars the atrocious Vin Diesel and is a complete car crash.

 Before The Devil Knows You're Dead does however hold many saving graces. For one it has an interesting plot: Two Brothers (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke )are both running into financial troubles and come up with a plan to rob a jewellery store. The twist in the tale is that the jewellery store they hold up, belongs to their parents, a jewellery store they both worked in when they were younger so know all the combinations to the safes. This ends tragically when their mother ends up being shot and killed. The film then takes a narrative similar to the 1950 Kurosawa film, Rashômon; telling the same story from different perspectives.

 The other saving grace is the infallible Philip Seymour Hoffman, who I completely admire as an actor and think he put his greatest performance into every character he plays, one of the best actors of this generation.

 Ethan Hawke is also great, it's a testament to both of their acting abillitys that you can belive them as brothers.

 There are also great supporting roles from Albert Finney and Marisa Tomei.

 My problems lies with it not working as a crime thriller, the drama is all there as is the plot but it lacks any thrills. At points I got bored and my eyes drifted off and became more interested in my magnolia coloured celling.

 I wasn't a fan of the cinematography either, I found it dark and colourless.

 Maybe it's just, it did revive some five star reviews and has 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, but for me Before The Devil Knows needed a a few minutes more in the oven and a little bit of food colouring added.

Score: 2.5/5