Film Review: 'Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)'

Philip Seymour Hoffman gives a brilliant performance in Sidney Lumet's last film, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. (Trailer)

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Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007), directed by Sidney Lumet; starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Albert Finney, Marissa Tomei, Ethan Hawke, and Rosemary Harris, from an original script by Kelly Masterson; shot by Ron Fortunato, who also shot Lumet's greatly entertaining 2006 film, Find Me Guilty.

Note: I started writing this review a week or so before Albert Finney died, but then I put it aside as inadequate. With Finney now in the news, it seems like a good time to take it up again.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, a New-York-set, neo-noir feature film starring a brilliant cast, is the great Sidney Lumet’s (Network, Dog Day Afternoon) last film. It’s also Lumet’s first and only film shot entirely with digital cameras; the old dog, who was 82 at the time he made this movie, wasn’t afraid to try new tricks. With Before the Devil, Lumet went out with a huge bang, not a whimper.

It’s quite simply, one of the best movies I’ve seen in the last ten years. It’s also one of the most brutal films I’ve ever experienced. And when I say “brutal”, I’m not referencing only the violence, of which there is plenty. I’m talking about the absolute lack of pity that Lumet shows for his characters. He exposes their cruelties, their stupidities, their greed and selfishness, with ruthless and relentless force.

Despite being a noir, much of this film is shot in harsh natural sunlight; I can’t help but think that Lumet saw that pitiless sunlight as a metaphor for what he does to his characters onscreen. In short, he delivers a Zero Fucks Given directorial performance, and it’s goddamn glorious. Especially since it’s from an 82-year-old man—his talent undimmed by age—blasting away like Han Solo facing down Greedo in the Star Wars canteen.

In what may be the greatest role of his sad, short life, Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as Andy, a corporate finance manager in trouble. He’s a heroin addict who’s been embezzling extensive funds from his company to pay for his habit, and the bill is shortly to come due. He plans to leg it to Brazil and needs money for the trip. His pitches a “sure thing” criminal scheme to his brother Hank, an amiable half-wit who’s dimmer than a package of Pop Rocks that’ll never meet a stomach full of Dr. Pepper (Google it).

Hank is played by Ethan Hawke, an actor who’s not my favorite by any means, but I must admit, he brings it here. Hank, who is having a secret affair with Andy’s soon-to-be ex-wife, Gina (Marissa Tomei), has money troubles of his own and reluctantly agrees.

Crime Never Pays

Andy’s “sure thing” involves knocking over a jewelry store run by Charles and Nanette, the brothers’ own parents (played by Albert Finney and Rosemary Harris). They know the store is covered by insurance, and they plan the hit for a Saturday when their mother doesn’t usually work the counter. The job will be performed by Hank (serving as the getaway driver) and his petty criminal friend, Bobby, played by Bryan F. O’Byrne (Andy can’t dirty his hands; he’s in management, you see.)

But something goes wrong, as it always does with a sure thing. The Saturday substitute doesn’t show up at the store and Nanette has to work on the fateful day. And Mom is having none of that foolishness; she pulls a gun on Bobby, who panics and shoots Nanette. She goes into a coma and dies a week later.

Now, Andy is in even more serious trouble. He still has to flee his corporate crime and feed his drug habit. Plus, more murderous crimes need to be committed in order to cover up his involvement in the killing of his mother. Hoffman is jaw-droppingly brilliant, as he transitions smoothly from a shady corporate puke into a casual mass-murderer. This is the role that should have brought him his Oscar.

Finney and Tomei also deliver Oscar-caliber work in their respective roles. As Charles, Finney is the ultimate angry Dad and bereaved husband, who can’t believe he’s sired a couple of star-quality losers and doesn’t want to face up to his own responsibility for how they turned out. As Gina, Tomei is a wounded bird, who married Andy for his “success,” and who pays a huge emotional price for her decision.

I don’t know if Lumet knew at the time that this would be his last film, but it makes me very happy to know that his swan song is so freakin’ great. Sadly, this film doesn’t seem to have had a good marketing budget or plan, as it’s almost unknown, except to critics and film buffs. On disc and streaming. 9/10