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 enlarge | Director: Sidney Lumet
Actors: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei
Studio: Egami
Category: Movie
Buy New: $14.99
Rating:  99 reviews
Sales Rank: 13396
Genre: Drama
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: Video On Demand
Running Time: 117 Minutes
ASIN: B0016JODPW
Theatrical Release Date: October 26, 2007
Release Date: September 4, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 16-20 of 99
Excellent Downbeat Lumet Thriller September 2, 2008
Terence Allen (Atlanta, GA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Before The Devil Knows Your Dead is a wonderfully acted, skillfully directed thriller that is not the kind of film to see where you're looking for a happy, upbeat story. This is the kind of film that once it gets started, you know that the main characters will not only never be the same, but will leave shattered lives if they live at all.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman is Andy, a corporate executive who is married to Gina, a beautiful wife who is unhappy with their life, and who wants to move to Rio de Janeiro, where they just recently vacationed and reconnected with each other. Masking his emotions as well as a severe habit, Andy reaches a point of desperation where he seeks to be able take Gina away to Rio for good. This desperation point coincides with similar feelings within his brother Hank, played by Ethan Hawke. Hank is a weak and cowardly younger brother to Andy. Hank works at the same company as Andy, and is unable to pay child support to his ex-wife for his daughter. At the same time, Hank is having an affair with Gina.
Andy comes up with what he things is a perfect solution to both his and Hank's financial problems. They will setup a robbery of their parents jewelry shop. The merchandise is insured, will be replaced, and the robbery will occur when neither parent is at the store. No one will gethurt because no real weapons will be used. And both Andy and Hank financial problems will be solved.
Not surprisingly, their seemingly "harmless" plan goes horribly, horribly wrong. The repercussions reverberate throughout the lives of everyone involved. No one is unscathed, and that one bad decision leads to many more bad decisions.
Sidney Lumet's films have often dealt with complex characters who make poor choices that affect others. This comes in handy when dealing with two brothers who are so desperate to change their circumstances that they don't think about how their choices will affect others, or how badly they will miscalculate. The acting is top-notch, including Albert Finney and Rosemary Harris, who play the brothers' parents.
This film is a great character study of human nature, and a very good film, even if it is not always easy to watch.
 Disappointing, insistent, and hard to sit through August 22, 2008
L. Hand (New Orleans, LA)
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
This was painful, and surprisingly so because it seems to have all the elements of being wonderful: an interesting plot, complex characters, clever director, and very talented actors. As soon as it was over, however, I was angry at having been duped into watching it. It (the film) is so aware of those surefire elements I named a moment ago, that it seemed fine with the fact that the scenes weren't going right, it wasn't believable, and it was hard for the audience to like or care about any of the characters. All in all, a waste of time and painfully so. I gave it two stars only because it was better than I would have done, were I a director.
 Disturbing. August 17, 2008
SuzieQ (USA)
I knew this film would be dark, but I wasn't prepared for how dark it turned out to be. The tension never lets up for almost two hours.
 great acting, great script, great pace August 15, 2008
M. Wolf (Camp Eggers)
This was noir-ish and enjoyable. The acting was superb and the story interesting. You will not regret watching this movie.
The Family That Slays Together... August 9, 2008
Elliott (L.A.)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This movie is about two loser brothers who plan to rob their parents' jewelry store. (How low can you go?) The mastermind (feeble mind) is the older brother, Andy, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Andy seems to have no redeeming qualities. Ethan Hawke is the younger brother, Hank, who has the backbone of a jellyfish. Albert Finney skillfully plays the bad boys' father.
It's certainly a downer. There's no sunshine in these lives. Everybody is greedy and manipulative. Andy's wife and Hank's ex-wife are cold and demanding.
After an attention-grabbing beginning, I soon found myself wondering how this mess would be resolved. So I kept watching, even though the film followed a confusing skip-around format. I found the conclusion disappointing, but somehow fitting for this ultra-dark work.
The acting was beyond reproach. But a little levity, or even a righteous detective, would have gone a long way.
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