Antes que el diablo sepa que has muerto

After a cold sex scene, between Andy and Gina, in South America, we know that Andy is a payroll manager who finds himself in a hard economic situation where he badly needs some extra money… We also discover that he has been stealing from his job and using the money to his drug habits… He's also attempting to keep up with his wife, who just might be having an affair…

To solve all their problems, he persuades his brother—a likable loser—to join him in a plan to steal their own parent's small store… Their parents are happily married and proprietors of a jewelry store situated in New York's Westchester County… Sixty thousand dollars is all they'll need to get their life out of desperation…

Three main characters are important in this movie…

First the two brothers… Each of them is a complex individual, threatened with multiple motivations, and sunk into doubts and disappointments… The two are desperate characters, financially and emotionally…

Andy is selfish… He feels that he has never had the love of his father… He is the corrupting influence, turning his brother into an assailant, and his beautiful woman into an adulteress…

Hank is a puppet too weak to resist his brother's wishes… His ex-wife is one of the reasons he needs money as he owes her hundreds in child support…. He longs to regain the confidence he once had with his father…

The third character is their weary and deplorable father Charles Hanson (Albert Finney), especially in the haunting climactic scenes…

Telling you more about the details could lessen the impact of the film, and therefore the entertainment...

Tomei's performance conveys great depth and emotion even with her look, her touch, her particular move…

Lumet's direction is firm, fresh and brutal.

"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" (2007) is the last film directed by Sidney Lumet, a master master of the artform, having previously directed masterpieces such as "12 Angry Men" (1957) and "Network" (1976).

This is gritty cinema, marked by focused direction, intriguing writing, non-linear storytelling, great pacing in editing, and a very tough emotional tone.

Unsurprisingly, Philip Seymour Hoffman completely outshines a relatively strong cast, including a mediocre Marisa Tomei, a strong performance by both Ethan Hawke, an even outshines Albert Finney who delivers a brilliant performance. He simply steals the show and once again is truly Oscar-worthy. How can one be surprised; in my book, Seymour Hoffman is among, if not the single greatest actor of his generation - and yes, I'm considering him up against masters such as DiCaprio, Pitt, Phoenix, Bale, Gyllenhaal, Blanchett, Colman, Adams, Davis, and Swinton.

Highly recommended and a great swan song from Lumet!

In my opinion, Sidney Lumet doesn't get the credit he deserves .

He's directed films such as 12 Angry Men , Serpico , The Verdict and Network yet when great directors are talked about his name is rarely mentioned and that's just wrong .

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead was Lumet's final film and it proved that even at the age 82 he still could make good movies.

Needing extra cash, two brothers conspire to pull off the perfect, victimless crime. No guns, no violence, no problem. But when an accomplice ignores the rules and crosses the line, his actions trigger a series of events in which no one is left unscathed.

Of course to make a great film you don't just need a brilliant director, you need a great cast too and Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke are perfect as the two brother who are in trouble up to their necks .

The timeline jumps around in a very clever way and thankfully at no time was It confusing.

Hoffmann's performance is extremely intense almost as if he was living that role of a heroin addict . Sadly we know he was as he died 7 years later of an overdose.

This is about how children can let down their parents , when all they have to do is ask for help . Pride before a fall.

I really enjoyed this film . It's not Lumet's best but it's in the top six or seven .

Great cast. Sidney Lumet truly did an astounding job with this film. Lumet shared with us one of his best films and it is a shame he and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died just last year, are no longer here to share anymore profound masterpieces.

I saw this a few years back and what I can say is it was an amazing film. The acting was well constructed as it would be expected of Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman. But not one in the film captivated the debilitating affects of tension and concern as well as Hoffman himself.

The film had its share of humor and the supporting roles were brilliant and authentic.

It seemed as though as the film had progressed, the intense suspense in the film as well as the sharp acting seemed to just envelop you even more. The entire atmosphere just impacts the audience deeply and leaves a thrill of excitement that is still felt after the film.

A film close to perfection and one I will see again any time.

Says Andy: "Nobody gets hurt, everybody wins." Before he says it, we know the opposite is true: Everybody gets hurt, nobody wins. This is a new strand in American movies, or perhaps an old strand brought back at long last. Think "Eastern Promises", "There Will Be Blood", "No Country for Old Men". These movies are dark, serious, extremely well made, and don't care about happy endings. I love them. "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" fits the general description, but creates an atmosphere all its own. Kelly Masterson's debut script is as close as a Hollywood movie will ever get to a Greek tragedy. Paying tribute to fellow veteran director Stanley Donen, Sidney Lumet expertly and soberly turns the sombre story into an outstanding, old school character drama. The opening shots, although of an obese accountant doggy-styling his trophy wife, have the look and feel of a Dutch master's painting. By contrast, the drug dealer's condo looks more like a string of Mondrians. Great performances all around. Only Albert Finney's character Charles feels a little over-acted, eyes wide and mouth agape almost all the time. But then he is in trouble deep, deeper than any of the troubles most of us will ever know. For compensation, Marisa Tomei is super hot. But of course you don't need me to tell you that. Why her character Gina would want to be with a guy like Andy, we're never told, but that's okay. Action is character, after all. The unique and magic touch of Carter Burwell's music makes this fine movie a masterpiece. Don't miss it.