Comments on: Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

By: VivaciousSW

VivaciousSW — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:54:09 +0000

I thought this movie was unwatchable! Great actors perform badly, and a fine director falls short. I’m all for sex and violence when it makes sense in the context of a well-thought-out plot, but the sex and violence in this movie was gratuitous and uninteresting. If I hadn’t seen it with friends, I would have walked out thirty minutes in.
Rating: 1 / 5

By: Duke Gaines

Duke Gaines — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:40:52 +0000

Over the years I have enjoyed Sydney Lumet’s “The Verdict” and “12 Angry Men” and even somewhat “Network”, but I have always felt that his films, though emotional and complex,always at least have some redeeming characters and moral fiber.This one,though,makes me wonder what has happened to this 80+ year old film veteran,much the way when I saw Stanley Kubrick’s swan song “Eyes Wide Shut” when Tom and Nicole were still an item.Lumet, like Scorcese, loves his Manhattan (though here we burb it to Westchester),and Lumet has never shied away from in your face subjects and politics,but this film has a madness to it that bothered me.Though the film is typically complex Lumet,there is a sense of such mindless,moral coldness with the characters that I personally found it to be one of the most emotionally bereft films I could remember.Even some of Tarantino’s work never left me feeling this hopeless about humanity.When Albert Finney does what he does at the end of this film,I just had to say what was Lumet’s purpose in making this film? It’s an ugly topic,with ugly characters.Is the acting good? Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance

is the only piece of worthwhile acting that I can mention.I thought his roles in “Flawless” and “Capote” were better,though,but that just may be me liking those films better,so I’ll let that one slide.

RATING: C-
Rating: 3 / 5

By: K. durkin

K. durkin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:50:28 +0000

Do not believe the positive reviews… This is horrible!

Why do people still believe Ethan Hawke has talent?
Rating: 1 / 5

By: Grimmy

Grimmy — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:54:48 +0000

Warning! THIS IS NOT A "THRILLER"! It's an incredibly slow, depressing, tedious "acting showcase" with no point.

I write this in the hope that some will be saved. Take heed!

It's sad that, like the sermonette "Lions for Lambs", they felt they had to market it as a "thriller".

There are NO "twists" or "turns", unless you can't see three feet in front of you. Did I mention it's SLOOOOOOOW? Absolutely horrible. And "bleak" doesn't even begin to describe how thoroughly depressing this movie is.

As for all the comments about the acting, I really don't see what the big deal is. There's nothing done here that couldn't be done by, say, Tom Cruise.

Don't say you weren't warned.

UPDATE: A friend of mine took no heed and ... watched it. He lamented his folly afterward, to no consolation. I'm not kidding here, folks! It's absolutely slow, bleak, plodding, and otherwise horrible. Rating: 1 / 5

By: T. Bell

T. Bell — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:21:44 +0000

Good acting, disturbing storyline, and well directed. However, the movie lacks resolution which leaves an uneasy feeling. Not sure if I would recommend it, but it is interesting to watch the story develop. The only great thing about this movie was Marissa Tomei’s BODY… WHOA, she has one of the best looking figures in Hollywood (WOW!).
Rating: 3 / 5