"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead."

Director Sidney Lumet is known for helming "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Network"in 1975 -76. "Dog Day"rocketed Al Pacino to stardom. Lumet had been busy directing TV plays in 2001 - 2002. His most recent film (2006), "Find Me Guilty," is based on a true story of Jack Di Norscio, a mobster who defended himself in court. His trial ended up being the longest mafia trial in US. History. Now, Lumet has met and matched if not surpassed "DDA" with this year's riveting heist film, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," written by Kelly Masterson. This non-linear, intricately woven flick flashes back and forth in time, folding flashback scenes seamlessly into the present. We are never lost as we see "Three days earlier," etc, on the screen.
"Devil" stars Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (Best Actor 2005: "Capote" as novelist Truman Capote), Ethan Hawke ("Before Sunrise" 1995, "Before Sunset" 2004; Hawke came into prominence in the 1997 futuristic "Gattaca" where he met and married co-star- - and now ex-spouse - - Uma Thurman). In "Devil" Hoffman and Hawke play unlikely brothers, Andy and Hank. The brothers lead the disparate lives of corporate non-entities in a huge real estate firm like Coldwell-Banker. Andy, who's older, has gone farther in that he has an office, whereas younger brother Hank is stuck in a cubicle on another floor, down a labyrinthine hallway. They owe people and companies scads of money But Andy has a plan, a fool-proof plan, that'll net them over a half-a mil to split down the middle which will clear their debts and allow them to live comfortably for many years - - if they're careful.
Hank spends his free time in a scuzzy bar frequented by small time crooks and losers, like himself. His ex-wife nags him constantly for rent money and child support he owes her; he promises but can't deliver. Meanwhile, Andy's being cuckolded by his beautiful nubile, dark-haired wife (Marisa Tomei) with whom he's ensconced in a mid-range condo, furnished in stainless steel, black leather, free-form glass coffee table, and chrome, and all the modern appliances. He visits, by appointment only, one of his creditor. We don't know what he's up to - - a tryst? Is his secret that he's being blackmailed by a guy he goes to for casual sex? Lumet keeps us guessing as we watch Andy move methodically about the upscale lavish, starkly furnished hi-rise condo.
Andy's plan, we learn, is to knock-off their elderly parents' jewelry store in a failing strip mall in a New York suburb. He convinces Hawke to sign on by telling him that no one will get hurt, the insurance will cover the damages and jewelry. He even has a fence lined up. Their parents' elderly female employee will be tending the store; she won't put up a fuss and has never seen Hawke. All he has to do is walk in with a fake gun, herd her into the back, grab the loot and joo-els and split. Andy'll be waiting to take the stuff to the fence. The catch is Hank has to do it alone, for reasons Andy makes clear. In carrying out the heist, Hank wears a disguise that makes him look like a degenerate, predatory, Hollywood porn-film agent.
Throughout the film, Hawke plays Hank as a sniveling underdog. If he had a tail, it'd be between his legs. You can smell his flop-sweat when he finally decides to carry out Andy's plan. Andy is the opposite: the confident, consummate high-end realtor with his expensive suits and shirts, his hair impeccably coiffed. It's a pleasure to see him in the role of Andy, after his depiction of creeps, perverts, and misunderstood second-bananas - - except for Capote and his character in "The Talented Mr. Ripley"- - that he plays in other films (He's in Tom Hanks's "Charlie Wilson's War," as a frumpy CIA operative, opening soon). In "Devil" Andy is far from Mr. Upstanding.
The film has the black humor that made "Fargo" such an indie hit. Unfortunately, "Devil" is not doing well at the box office. Maybe because it opened right before the holidays? Or because the ending is way, way, way over the top. In "Fargo," the kidnapping did not go as planned and subsequent events were gruesome, yet the cops (Frances McDormand) were on top of it. In "Devil," cops are not the stars. The robbery goes very, very, very wrong. Chicken-bleep Hank is to blame, and things just spiral out of control. Andy can't be let off the hook that easy. He exacts his own freaked-out justice, as does his dad.
British actor, Albert Finney, who's enjoyed a long, honored career on both stage and screen ("Tom Jones" in 1963 to "The Bourne Ultimatum" "2007), and Rosemary Harris, ditto (Peter Parker's Aunt in the "Spiderman" series), portray the parents. Once Finney's character is introduced, he plays practically every scene with his under-the-eyebrows glare, gnashing his teeth, and stomping around, and sorrowfully going on about how he let his boys down. Harris is seen sparingly. Her big, almost wordless, scene takes place in the jewelry store.

"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead' has won numerous awards: New York Film Critics. Sidney Lumit: The Lifetime Acheivement Award; New York Film Critics Circle, Best Ensemble Cast, and a Critics' Choice Award Nomination. In San Francisco, the film can still be seen at Sundance Kabuki Cinema, UA Stonestown 2, Landmark's Opera Plaza, and the 4 Star. Don't miss it!