BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD

Try Something New, Hollywood!

All this fancy flip-flopping fore and aft in time, showing every scene twice, might save money on script but it couldn't save a scrawny turkey like "Before the Box Office Knows You're Dead" on the day after Thanksgiving. It's been done, dudes! Get a new gimmick!

I hope they paid Philip Seymour Hoffman a bundle for this humiliation. He's a great actor but his freckled b_tt does nothing for me. December 1, 2008

BAD IDEA!.... GONE REALLY REALLY WRONG!

'Before The Devil Knows You're Dead' will make you think twice about doing something you know is bad, but you do it anyway! With a premise that shows how wrong a seemingly easy solution can go horribly wrong this film pulls no punches! An engrossing story of two brothers in desperate need of cash, decide to pull off a robbery!....that's as far as I'll go with the plot. What happens next is absolutely tragic.

The story is told flash back and flash forward style, which works well in story for the most part. Although, I did feel the film dragged needlessly in the middle sometimes because they didn't reveal enough new information during some flashback/forward segments. This didn't hurt the overall experience, but with a little more information, it would have really pulled me in. Regardless, it's a very solid film with solid performances. The ending was abrupt and left a couple of important loose ends. For those small grievances I deduct 1 star. November 30, 2008

A Descent into Evil

"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a dark tale of human greed and deceit. What starts out as a thoroughly corrupted crime against parents descends into something even worse. There is a horrible viscous circle at work which no one is able to right.

Andy Hanson (Philip Seymour Hoffman) convinces his younger brother, Hank (Ethan Hawke), to rob their parents' jewellery store in the suburbs of New York. The parents are not meant to be working on the day of the heist and, although they may be disturbed by the crime, insurance will cover their losses. The brothers each have their own financial difficulties and the robbery will relieve them of their troubles.

The crime, however, goes terribly wrong. Their mother is unexpectedly working on the day and dies of a gun shot wound. The trail left by the brothers slowly unravels and the especially conniving Andy is seen for being the epitome of evil. Needless to say, the brothers are found out. In a particularly bleak scene, Andy gets his comeuppance. At least some justice seems to be at work in a roundabout way.

The performances of both Hoffman and Hawke are good. They are plausible in their roles. Their father, played by Albert Finney is also well managed. His grief at times is palpable.

Overall, the film is good without being great. It is worth the effort but is unlikely to win a swag of awards.

November 23, 2008

Great

This is a really good movie, you have to pay attention and stay in the room the whole movie...Or pause it if you have you leave the room... November 20, 2008

Not awesome...

Wasn't the best movie, wasn't aweful. It was very long, didn't think it would end. Not sure if i would recommend it to people unless they are movie buffs. I guess I had bigger expectations. October 31, 2008

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