Movie No. 23 (2016): BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei

A "simple" plan goes awry when one mistakes leads to another, resulting in tragic consequences. While it may remind us of Fargo or A Simple Plan, this movie has its own unique attack on a morality tale of this kind. For example, the non-linear editing does not prevent the fluidity of the narrative. 

The title suggests the narrative flow of the movie. It comes from the Irish saying, "May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead." It suggests race against time to cover the mistakes. Every character is part of the race. The genius of the movie is how the so-called "race" is presented on screen. 

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: April 30, 2016


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