Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

{{Infobox film

| name = Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

| image = Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007 film).jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Sidney Lumet

| producer = {{plainlist|

Paul Parmar
Michael Cerenzie
Brian Linse
William S. Gilmore

}}

| writer = Kelly Masterson

| starring = {{plainlist|

}}

| music = Carter Burwell

| cinematography = Ron Fortunato

| editing = Tom Swartwout

| studio = {{plainlist|

Unity Productions{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/55182|title=Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)|work=AFI Catalog of Feature Films|access-date=November 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201181900/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/55182|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live}}
Linsefilm
Funky Buddha Group
Capitol Films

}}

| distributor = ThinkFilm

| released = {{Film date|2007|09|06|Deauville|2007|10|26|United States}}

| runtime = 117 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $18 millionNat Segaloff, Final Cuts: The Last Films of 50 Great Directors, Bear Manor Media 2013 p 176-178

| gross = $25 million{{cite web| url= https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=beforethedevilknowsyouredead.htm |title= Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) |website= Box Office Mojo |access-date= October 7, 2012}}

}}

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is a 2007 American crime thriller film directed by Sidney Lumet.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/10/movies/sidney-lumet-director-of-american-classics-dies-at-86.html|title=Sidney Lumet, Director of American Film Classics, Dies at 86|last=Berkvist|first=Robert|date=April 9, 2011|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 9, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110415054724/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/10/movies/sidney-lumet-director-of-american-classics-dies-at-86.html| archive-date= 15 April 2011 | url-status= live}} The film was written by Kelly Masterson, and stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, and Albert Finney. The title comes from the Irish saying: "May you be in heaven a full half-hour before the devil knows you're dead". The film unfolds in a nonlinear narrative, repeatedly going back and forth in time, with some scenes shown repeatedly from differing points of view. It was the last film directed by Lumet before his death in 2011.

The film appeared on 21 critics' end-of-the-year top ten lists indexed by Metacritic and was selected as one of 2007's ten best American films by the American Film Institute, at the 2007 AFI Awards.[http://www.afi.com/afiawards/AFIAwards07.aspx Afi.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119103353/http://afi.com/afiawards/AFIAwards07.aspx |date=2013-01-19 }}; AFI Awards 2007, American Film Institute. Retrieved October 7, 2012.

Plot

Note: The story is explained here in its chronological order, rather than as it is presented in the film.

Facing an upcoming audit that will reveal his embezzlement, finance executive Andy Hanson decides to escape to Brazil. To raise the necessary funds, he enlists the aid of his brother, Hank, a divorced father who needs money to pay child support and tuition. Hank has been having an affair with Andy's wife, Gina.

Hank is well-meaning but easily dominated by Andy, a ruthless schemer. Andy, in turn, resents his younger and more attractive brother, whom their parents favored. Andy plans to rob their parents' jewelry store, to which Hank reluctantly agrees. Andy argues that he cannot go himself because he has been seen in the neighborhood recently. They assume that only Doris, an elderly employee, will be there, necessitating only a toy gun, and ensuring that insurance will make it a victimless crime. Andy plans to fence the jewelry via a New York City dealer his father knows, and expects to net about $120,000 from the robbery.

Without consulting Andy, Hank hires Bobby Lasorda, an acquaintance who is an experienced thief, to help him. Bobby reveals a real gun and commits the robbery himself while Hank waits in the car. The brothers' mother Nanette happens to be filling in for Doris, and while Bobby is distracted, Nanette grabs a hidden pistol and shoots him; he shoots her back, mortally wounding her, before she kills him with a second shot. She dies a week later in the hospital. Unsatisfied with the police investigation, her husband Charles becomes obsessed with finding information about the crime. Shortly after the botched robbery, Bobby's brother-in-law Dex confronts Hank and demands financial compensation for Bobby's widow, Chris, threatening to either turn him over to the police or kill him if he does not come up with the money.

While Andy is away from his office, his superiors repeatedly try to contact him regarding irregularities revealed by the audit. At Nanette's wake, Andy and Charles have a complex and emotional exchange. Charles states he loves Andy despite their long-standing differences. Andy, who feels like an outsider, questions his biological heritage, and Charles slaps him. Andy and Gina immediately leave. On their drive home, Andy has an emotional breakdown over his relationship with his father. At home, Gina tells Andy his boss has been trying to contact him. She expresses her frustration with their marriage and Andy's growing coldness. Andy, preoccupied with his problems, hardly reacts when Gina announces she is leaving him or even when she reveals her affair with Hank, and instead he gives her money for her departure when she asks for some.

Charles, searching for information about the robbery, visits the same fence Andy contacted. After an acrimonious exchange indicating a longstanding, mutual dislike, the jeweler reveals that Andy recently came looking to fence some jewels. Charles immediately goes looking for Andy. Andy decides to resolve Hank's blackmail situation by robbing a heroin dealer whom he frequents and then escaping abroad.

At the dealer's apartment, Andy and Hank overpower and rob the dealer. Hank is shocked when Andy kills the dealer and a client who happened to be present. The brothers meet Dex to pay him off, but Andy impulsively kills him to prevent continued blackmail. Andy appears ready to kill Chris, but Hank objects after hearing Chris' baby crying in another room. Andy turns the gun on Hank, revealing that he knows about Hank and Gina's relationship. Hank begs Andy to kill him. As Andy pauses, Chris shoots Andy in the back with Dex's gun. Horrified, she orders Hank to leave, and he guiltily leaves some of the money behind for her before fleeing.

After leaving the fence, Charles tails Andy. He follows Andy from his apartment tower, watches as he goes to Hank's apartment, then follows his sons to their meeting with Chris; Charles sees Hank fleeing the apartment and calls out to him, but Hank continues running, and escapes. He finally follows Andy to the hospital, where he is taken by paramedics. Andy breaks down and apologizes to his estranged father, but blurts out key information about the robbery: that his mom was not supposed to be there. Charles appears to accept his apology. Charles attaches Andy's heart monitor to himself and suffocates his son to death with a pillow. As medical staff rush to help Andy, Charles walks away.

Cast

{{castlist|

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Andrew 'Andy' Hanson
Ethan Hawke as Henry 'Hank' Hanson
Albert Finney as Charles Hanson
Marisa Tomei as Gina Hanson
Aleksa Palladino as Chris
Michael Shannon as Dex
Amy Ryan as Martha Hanson
Sarah Livingston as Danielle Hanson
Brían F. O'Byrne as Bobby Lasorda
Rosemary Harris as Nanette Hanson
Blaine Horton as Justin (dealer)
Arija Bareikis as Katherine Hanson
Leonardo Cimino as William (fence)
Lee Wilkof as Jake (Andy's boss)
Damon Gupton as Doctor
Adrian Martinez as Security Guard
Patrick G. Burns as Priest
Jordan Gelber as Agent

}}

Production

After experimenting with the format of high definition video on the television series 100 Centre Street, Lumet made the decision to shoot Before the Devil Knows You're Dead on the Panavision Genesis digital camera system. At a press conference at the 2007 New York Film Festival, Lumet called shooting on film "a pain in the ass," and predicted that as soon as distributors and exhibitors could agree on a digital projection format, photographic film would be rendered obsolete.{{Cite web |url=http://blog.spout.com/2007/09/20/nyff-sidney-lumet-joins-the-death-of-celluloid-brigade/ |title=NYFF 2007: Sidney Lumet Joins the Death of Celluloid Brigade |access-date=2007-09-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016210128/http://blog.spout.com/2007/09/20/nyff-sidney-lumet-joins-the-death-of-celluloid-brigade/ |archive-date=2007-10-16 |url-status=dead }}

The primary robbery scene was filmed at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center in Bayside, Queens, New York.[http://www.bayterrace.com/index.html Bay Terrace Shopping Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514223919/http://www.bayterrace.com/index.html |date=2008-05-14 }} retrieved on May 03, 2008

Sidney Lumet knew Philip Seymour Hoffman was going to have more difficulty with the opening sex scene than Marisa Tomei. "I don't think Philip has ever conceived of himself in the nude fucking onscreen. It's just not something that comes his way. So when we started blocking, Marisa hopped up on the bed, got on her hands and knees, slapped her ass and said, 'Come on Philly, let's go!' I could kiss her. Because if Philip had any inhibitions, they were gone," Lumet said.{{cite web |title=A pinewood dialogue with Sidney Lumet |work=www.movingimagesource.us |url=http://www.movingimagesource.us/files/dialogues/2/63661_programs_transcript_html_299.html |access-date=5 February 2022 }}

Release

The film premiered on September 6, 2007, at the Festival of American Cinema in Deauville, France. It was also shown at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada on September 13, 2007. It opened in France on September 26, 2007. The film made its American debut on October 12, 2007, at the New York Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/movies/filmfestivals/newyork/2007/38027/|title=Dog Day Afternoons: Sidney Lumet|website=NYMag.com|date=21 September 2007 |access-date=2018-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717154453/http://nymag.com/movies/filmfestivals/newyork/2007/38027/|archive-date=2018-07-17|url-status=live}} It opened in limited release in the United States on October 26, 2007, in two theaters, grossing US$73,837 in its opening weekend.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=beforethedevilknowsyouredead.htm |title=Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) - Weekend Box Office Results |access-date=2007-10-30 |publisher=Box Office Mojo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813065437/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=beforethedevilknowsyouredead.htm |archive-date=2009-08-13 |url-status=live }} In total, the film grossed over US$25 million worldwide.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=beforethedevilknowsyouredead.htm |title=Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) |access-date=2009-09-24 |publisher=Box Office Mojo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813065349/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=beforethedevilknowsyouredead.htm |archive-date=2009-08-13 |url-status=live }}

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 89% of 179 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 7.8/10. The website’s critical consensus reads: "A tense and effective thriller, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead marks a triumphant return to form for director Sidney Lumet."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_the_devil_knows_youre_dead/ |title=Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) |access-date=March 28, 2025 |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071229000034/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_the_devil_knows_youre_dead/| archive-date= 29 December 2007 | url-status= live}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 86 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/before-the-devil-knows-youre-dead|title=Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Reviews |access-date= December 31, 2012 |publisher=Metacritic|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914083407/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/before-the-devil-knows-youre-dead|archive-date=2010-09-14|url-status=live}}

Time magazine's Richard Schickel named the movie one of the top 10 films of 2007, ranking it at #3, saying, "At one level the movie is a wonderfully intricate exploration of family dysfunction. At another, it's a coolly controlled examination of increasingly insane criminal ineptitude. Either way you look at it, this is a hypnotizing film from one of our great masters."{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1686204_1686244_1692268,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708000359/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1686204_1686244_1692268,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 8, 2010|title=Top 10 Movies (Richard Schickel)|last=Schickel|first=Richard|date=December 9, 2007|magazine=Time|access-date=June 18, 2017}} Roger Ebert gave the film four stars out of four, calling it "superb" and its director, Sidney Lumet, a "living treasure."{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071101/REVIEWS/711010302/1023|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=November 1, 2007|work=Chicago Sun-Times|title=Before the Devil Knows You're Dead|access-date=June 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921002348/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20071101%2FREVIEWS%2F711010302%2F1023|archive-date=September 21, 2012|url-status=live}}

=Top 10 lists=

The film appeared on many critics' top 10 lists of the best films of 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2007/toptens.shtml|title=Metacritic: 2007 Film Critic Top Ten Lists|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080730001905/http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2007/toptens.shtml|archive-date=July 30, 2008|access-date=June 18, 2017|work=Metacritic}}

1st - Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter
1st - Steven Rea, The Philadelphia Inquirer
2nd - Marc Mohan, The Oregonian
2nd - Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
3rd - Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
3rd - Richard Schickel, Time
3rd - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
4th - Rene Rodriguez, The Miami Herald
5th - Marc Savlov, The Austin Chronicle
6th - Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times
6th - Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
6th - Keith Phipps, The A.V. Club
7th - Scott Foundas, LA Weekly (tied with Eastern Promises)
8th - Jack Mathews, New York Daily News
8th - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
8th - Ty Burr, The Boston Globe
9th - Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
9th - Peter Vonder Haar, Film Threat
10th - Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}}
10th - Stephen Hunter, The Washington Post

=Awards and honors=

Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 15, 2008.

References

External links

{{IMDb title|0292963|Before the Devil Knows You're Dead}}
{{mojo title|beforethedevilknowsyouredead|Before the Devil Knows You're Dead}}
{{Rotten Tomatoes|before_the_devil_knows_youre_dead|Before the Devil Knows You're Dead}}
{{Metacritic film|title=Before the Devil Knows You're Dead}}
[https://charlierose.com/videos/11379 Interview with director Sidney Lumet, actors Philip Seymour Hoffman & Ethan Hawke] on The Charlie Rose Show

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Category:2007 films

Category:2007 crime drama films

Category:2007 crime thriller films

Category:2000s American films

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:2000s heist films

Category:American crime drama films

Category:American crime thriller films