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Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

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  • 18-08-2014 8:05pm
    #1
    MakeEmLaugh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,356 ✭✭✭


    A film about a botched jewellery store robbery, told in a non-linear fashion with flashbacks from the perspectives of multiple characters.

    On paper, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead sounds like a carbon copy of Reservoir Dogs, but in fact this is much more restrained than anything by Tarantino. It was the final film of Sidney Lumet, who had an incredible directorial career, starting with 12 Angry Men in 1957 and including the likes of Dog Day Afternoon and Network.

    It's also one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's best performances (though weren't they all?). He goes through every emotion, from floods of tears to incandescent rage. There's a moment which seems to be an homage to Citizen Kane where, following an argument with his wife (Marisa Tomei), Hoffman trashes their apartment.

    Tragically, Hoffman's character is a heroin user in the film, which is alarming given the actor's own fate.

    This is one of the better, more underrated thrillers of previous years. Anyone have any thoughts on it?


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    #2
    kryogen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 25,953 ✭✭✭✭kryogen


    Saw it but for whatever reason I cannot recall a single thing from it. Maybe that sums up what I thought of it?


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    #3
    Roquentin
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,130 ✭✭✭Roquentin


    must put it on my wish list


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    #4
    Dermighty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,748 ✭✭✭Dermighty


    I recall female nudity and a good movie.


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    #5
    takamichinoku
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,110 ✭✭✭takamichinoku


    Watched this on Christmas Day morning the year the Cathedral burned down, thought it was absolutely brilliant to be honest. Albert Finney knocks it out of the part.

    ...slightly afraid I'll think a bit less of it on rewatch though, like, I think it might be my favourite Lumet film!


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    #6
    Charlie19
    Registered Users Posts: 11,721 ✭✭✭✭Charlie19


    Dermighty wrote: »
    I recall female nudity and a good movie.

    Got a wee chuckle after reading that.


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    #7
    grohlisagod
    Registered Users Posts: 1,998 ✭✭✭grohlisagod


    Carter Burwell's score is brilliant.


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    #8
    ButtersSuki
    Registered Users Posts: 53,028 ✭✭✭✭ButtersSuki


    What I remember from it:
    • PSH great
    • Maria Tomei, naked (often) and RIDICULOUSLY SEXY for a woman her age
    • Briain F. O'Byrne pretty good even allowing for the accent
    • Michael Shannon cameo
    • Uncomfortable PSH shooting up scene
    • Starts slow, but is ultimately a good watch


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    #9
    MakeEmLaugh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,356 ✭✭✭MakeEmLaugh


    ButtersSuki wrote: »
    What I remember from it:
    • Briain F. O'Byrne pretty good even allowing for the accent

    I knew I recognised him from somewhere!

    I did think the accent was distractingly thick. When we first meet him he's wearing a balaclava. I thought it may have been Ethan Hawke deliberately adopting a fake New York accent to offset the chances of being caught.


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    #10
    Telecaster58
    Registered Users Posts: 531 ✭✭✭Telecaster58


    I thought it was a great film. The last film directed by an American great, the late, great Sidney Lumet. Over the last 20 years his films got better and better.


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    #11
    duckworth
    Registered Users Posts: 274 ✭✭duckworth


    Didn't like this. Philip Seymour Hoffman was great, as were Marissa Tomei's tits, but that's about it.


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    #12
    otnomart
    Registered Users Posts: 4,065 ✭✭✭otnomart


    Saw it when it came out at the cinema.
    Great performances, alongside PSH's, also Albert Finney's, unforgettable for me.


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