Film Reviews

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

• Rating:
• Director: Sidney Lumet.
• Starring: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei.
• Details: US / 117mins (16).

Looking at the robbery of a 'Mom and Pop' jewellery store by way of several different character strands, the main focus of proceedings in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead frequently returns to that of siblings Andy (Hoffman) and Hank (Hawke), who plan and execute a heist of staggeringly-inept proportions. When things go bad (about 10 minutes in), the focus shifts back to the beginning of the strand, and plays out the scene from a different perspective. Both brothers are in financial difficulty, and as the film progresses, their woes become deeper and deeper. The conflict in the script is obvious, as all the main protagonists are linked by family or marriage; so, when one acts in a selfish manner we're (one would assume) meant to feel their pain as if it were a close relative. The problem with Sydney Lumet's latest effort is that none of the characters are worthy of your sympathy. How can tension be sustained when you couldn't care less about the character, never mind their difficulties? You could argue their realistic and three-dimensional portraits; but there is no conflict for the viewer when you're watching people get essentially what they deserve. This problem is never addressed, and despite some stunning work from Hoffman and Hawke (the latter doing surprisingly stellar work for a character that basically spends the movie whining), there is not much else to recommend. Tomei drew the shortest straw as the supposed catalyst for an intense conclusion that never fully materialises renders her presence (after the first third) somewhat redundant. Lumet is a celebrated director, having helmed genuine classics like Network and Dog Day Afternoon, but this film is nowhere near as smart as it thinks it is, and becomes increasingly convoluted as it goes on. It may also feel longer to you than its two-odd hours, as a lot of the time you're watching the beginning and end of the same scene, setting things in a frustrating and repetitive loop. While I appreciate the complexities of the plot, I just didn't have the patience to continuously endure it. An overrated oddity, that is worth watching for some brilliant performances, but nothing else.

Review by Mike Sheridan