Taking its name from a traditional Irish toast, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead is a profoundly bleak, though tension-filled offering from veteran director Sidney Lumet.

This is one of those films that goes against the grain in the...
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Taking its name from a traditional Irish toast, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead is a profoundly bleak, though tension-filled offering from veteran director Sidney Lumet.

This is one of those films that goes against the grain in the sense that not a single one of the characters seems to have any trait to render them likeable - yet this is also one of its strengths, painting a picture of deeply flawed individuals in a web of strained family relationships. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives an outstanding performance as older brother Andy, who along with younger sibling Hank (Ethan Hawke), conceives a plot to rob their own parent's suburban jewellery store - a 'victimless crime' until it all goes horribly wrong.

Albert Finney as the father is another actor who excels throughout, and Marisa Tomei is more than capable as both Andy's wife and Hank's lover. However many of the film's more powerful moments depict the two brothers in the aftermath of their disasterous plan - the raging argument between the two when raiding the drug dealer's apartment being a personal highlight.

Overall, this is far more than simply a formulaic 'heist-gone-wrong' storyline, and retains its grip on the viewer throughout. The only thing that particularly bugged me, although only a minor point, was the way the scene transitions were carried out, which seemed somewhat out of line with the mood of the movie as a whole. Aside from that however, this is an excellent film, although one you probably should avoid if you're looking for the feel-good factor...

Desperate people do desperate things. This has never been clearer than it is in the new movie, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead."

Philip Seymour Hoffman Stars as Andy Hansen, a drug-addicted payroll manager who has been...
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Desperate people do desperate things. This has never been clearer than it is in the new movie, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead."

Philip Seymour Hoffman Stars as Andy Hansen, a drug-addicted payroll manager who has been stealing money from work. His marriage to Gina, played by Marisa Tomei, is falling apart.

When the IRS starts an audit of Andy's workplace, he calls on his younger brother Hank, played by Ethan Hawke, to help him rob a "mom-and-pop" jewelry store.

The plan was, in Andy's eyes, flawless. No guns were to be used. The elderly woman who opens the shop on Saturday mornings was nearly blind. The entire week's profit would still be in the safe. And since Andy and Hank had both worked in the shop before, they knew the alarm code and safe combination. It seemed perfect.

Little did they know, however, that Nanette Hansen, their own mother played by Rosemary Harris, would be in the store that day. Nor did they know that their accomplice Bobby would insist on bringing a real gun.

The third, and most deadly, unknown fact was that Nanette had a gun of her own. This becomes clear when Hank, who was waiting in the car outside, hears an exchange of gunfire from inside the store.

The twists and turns of the film's plot will have you holding your breath one minute and covering your mouth in shock the next.

"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a well-written movie that is full of great performances. The best of these performances are by Hoffman and Finney. Hoffman's portrayal of Andy makes you really experience the desperation of his character. As the estranged child, Andy's contempt for Charles is clear and the struggle between them is heart-wrenching.

Finney's character is immediately lovable, and evokes strong sympathy as he struggles to deal with the catastrophic results of the bungled robbery, the useless and unfriendly detectives assigned to the case, and his two sons. Don't be surprised if he's nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his part in this film.

The only weak point in this movie is the ending, which though shocking and gratifying at the same time, leaves too many loose strings and too many questions unanswered. Another questionable part is the nonlinear storytelling used at the beginning of the movie to explain the connections between the each of the characters and the jewelry store robbery. Once they switch to linear storytelling, though, it moves along at a better pace and will have you gripping your seat until the very end.