Film title:
Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
Director:
Sidney Lumet
Starring:
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney
Certificate:
15
Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Andy, a bank clerk who 'borrows' company funds for his drug habit in this Oscar-worthy melodramatic thriller that might be a certified classic. Meanwhile his down-on-his-luck younger brother Hank (Hawke) is having an affair with his wife (Tomei), and struggling to find the cash for his monthly child support payments. In desperation the two brothers plot to rob their parents' jewellery store, but the heist goes horribly wrong. A simple story told in a thrillingly complex style, flashbacks to the same events told from different perspectives add a layer of tension and suspense. It's been over 50 years since 12 Angry Men, yet the 83-year-old Lumet directs a flawless cast and adds another classic to his award-winning career. Brutal, bleak and brilliant, this is a movie experience not to be missed. [Kevin McHugh]