Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Director: Sidney Lumet
Writer: Kelly Masterson
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei, Michael Shannon
This is a “heist gone wrong” film that had gotten lots of great reviews, including from some of my friends. And having seen it, I can see why; it’s extremely well-done. (You would hope the guy who directed Network would remember a thing or two about making movies.) But I’m not quite as enthusiastic about this film as others, mainly because it’s sort of like Fargo, but without the laughs or Marge Gunderson. It’s like being in a car at the top of steep, icy hill that almost immediately starts sliding. And pretty much the entire movie is the characters sliding down that hill, with the only question being exactly how bad the crash will be. And the answer, after nearly two hours of watching them squirm, screw up and go blood simple, is very bad indeed.
The action unfolds in non-linear fashion, following first one character and then another. We see the heist go wrong in the first 10 minutes of the film, but its only later that we understand just how wrong it went, and how the consequences from it just keep getting worse.
The performances are uniformly excellent, while the script is interesting without being engaging; Hoffman’s character is so unlikable, and Hawke’s character such a weak-willed pushover, that we regard them less with sympathy than critical detachment. The direction is solid, but many scenes could have been edited; Lumet likes to watch his characters flail and squirm a bit too much, and this film could have easily been 10-15 minutes shorter and have more impact.
Whether you’ll enjoy watching it depends on how much you like watching that long, agonizing slide down the icy hill. And Marisa Tomei is still quite lovely (and, here, frequently undressed). But many viewers will find it an uncomfortable ride.
Tags: Albert Finney, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, crime, Ethan Hawke, Kelly Masterson, Marisa Tomei, movie reviews, Movies, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sidney Lumet
This was one of my favorite films of 2009. Nice to Lumet making a good film into his 80’s.
I thought this was a very, very good movie. Well acted, well directed, and a literally insanely gritty family story. I don’t regret that Lumet did “Fargo without the laughs,” because I accept that many fine works of cinematic art are emotionally harrowing experiences. OTOH, I do have a good friend who is deeply troubled by movies such as this. I would never recommend this film to him, and would not tout it to anyone without making clear its disturbing impact.