Conceptually bold and unnervingly suspenseful, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is one of the best films Lumet has directed in a very long and at times uneven career.
Comment
03/19/08
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
88
%
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Reviews Counted:156
Fresh:137
Rotten:19
Average Rating:7.7/10
Consensus: A tense and effective thriller, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead marks a triumphant return to form for director Sidney Lumet.
Australian Rating: MA15+ [See Full Rating]
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Genre: Family Interaction, Thriller, Infidelity, Theatrical Release, Brothers, Affairs
Australian Theatrical Release:
Mar 20, 2008 Wide
US Box Office: $6,955,841
Synopsis: From the unexpectedly graphic opening shot, director Sidney Lumet proves he hasn't lost any of his bite with age. BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD is a riveting suspense thriller that retains the... [More]
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, Albert Finney
Director: Sidney Lumet
Reviews for Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Top CriticHoffman’s brilliant in this nailbiting thriller and character study.
03/19/08
Top CriticA marvellous film, filled with tension, drama and emotional angst
03/16/08
Top CriticClick to read the article
03/21/08
Top CriticIf you want a quality crime caper, then this is for you.
01/11/08
Top CriticBefore the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a chronicle of destruction -- physical, spiritual and moral.
10/26/07
Top CriticBefore the Devil Knows You're Dead won't do much for anyone's feelings about human nature, but it will definitely restore your faith in gritty crime movies.
05/01/08
The 83-year-old Mr. Lumet, who has handled such immortals as Brando and Magnani in his career, expertly extracts individually charismatic performances from Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Hawke, Mr. Finney, Ms. Harris and Ms. Tomei.
10/24/07
... some first-rate surprises and a bundle of good performances.
11/01/07
In addition to being a study in great acting, this is a study in great directing. Filming with high-definition digital video cameras, Lumet weaves in and out of the action, proving to be as adroit with new technology as he was with old-school celluloid.
11/01/07
Top CriticIn a way Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is like watching a car crash %u2014 you want to look away, but something compels you to try and take in all the gory details.
11/17/07
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is kinetic. It's dynamite laced with electricity. It's a perfectly played puzzle that's final images make for an astoundingly satisfying statement.
12/06/07
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is often an uncomfortable film to sit through, but the rewards it offers make it well worth the effort.
11/08/07
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is a sleeker, slimmer film than Lumet's done in some time, but it is quite possibly his strongest work in decades.
02/28/08
Nothing in Lumet's filmography has contained the back alley, concrete-block pummeling of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, a masterful, rampaging descent into the quicksand hell of desperation.
10/26/07
This is no nostalgia trip taken by an 83-year-old director. It's a fierce, hot slap of a movie, a shameless melodrama with bite.
11/02/07
Top CriticSidney Lumet's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead starts with a bad idea -- a plan by two brothers to rob their parents' jewelry store -- and whips itself into a beautifully acted, nervous-making frenzy of a melodrama.
11/16/07
Lumet doesn’t damn himself, but it’s hardly cinema heaven. Hoffman, Hawke and Finney claw strong moments out of an underwhelming script, but for some the only thing that’ll stick is Marisa Tomei with her kit off.
01/11/08
Lumet hasn't been this energetic and perceptive since The Verdict, released two-and-a-half decades ago.
10/25/07
Last month, there were a couple of movies (Michael Clayton, We Own the Night) that recalled the '70s heyday of director Sidney Lumet. This month, we get the real deal.
11/16/07
Latest News for Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
April 14, 2008:
RT on DVD: Juno, AVP2, and Dungeon Siege
If you're not sick of hearing Diablo Cody this, hamburger phone that, then this week's bonus-packed release of Juno should be numero uno on your list, home skillet. Otherwise,... More...
March 07, 2008:
Paper Magazine Compiles Top Ten Worst Nude Scenes of All Time
Nude scenes: we love them. Well, most of the time, anyway. More...
December 17, 2007:
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Dexter Make AFI's 2007 Best-Of List
If there's one thing the American Film Institute loves, it's a list -- and with the end of 2007 rapidly approaching, you know what that means: It's time to run down the AFI's... More...
December 14, 2007:
Atonement, Control Lead London Film Critics Noms
The London Critics Circle has announced the nominees for its year-end awards, with Anton Corbijn's Control and Joe Wright's Atonement leading the pack at eight nominations apiece. More...
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