Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
THINKFilm | Release Date: October 26, 2007
8.3
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 381 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
311
Mixed:
38
Negative:
32
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
0
rbNov 24, 2007
Terrible. Do not step foot in that theater. This is the worst film I have ever seen in my life,( I don't think I have ever said that!) and I am an avid film buff. I can not imagine how the reviewers came to their ratings, the only thing Terrible. Do not step foot in that theater. This is the worst film I have ever seen in my life,( I don't think I have ever said that!) and I am an avid film buff. I can not imagine how the reviewers came to their ratings, the only thing I can imagine is either they were bought out, or are completely brainwashed and deluded in to thinking that dark pointless depressing stories equal depth. And it could not be farther from the truth. If you feel like seeing sad characters you don't care about do things that make you wretch, and leave feeling depressed, then go for it, otherwise, know this is the most over rated film on the planet. The reviewers were blinded by the director's fame and their misguided notion that grim stories equal edgy and profound, when that idea could not be more passe'. I should have followed the lead of the several people who walked out during the middle. BUYER BEWARE.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful
3
AndrewS.Apr 21, 2008
This was a truly terrible movie. Everything about it from the cheesy look of the sets, to the awful soundtrack to the not so dramatic, unrealistic end, sucked. The plot line of regular guy in desperate times finds himself first compromising This was a truly terrible movie. Everything about it from the cheesy look of the sets, to the awful soundtrack to the not so dramatic, unrealistic end, sucked. The plot line of regular guy in desperate times finds himself first compromising himself a little bit, then ends up doing terrible things he never thought he was capable of, was tired and has been done. Don't be taken in by the acclaim on the jacket, this was a boring waste of 2 hours.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful
3
EldonApr 22, 2008
It's as bad as others here have already stated. I hated watching every minute of it.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
2
ET.Nov 14, 2007
All the female characters a bithces. All the men are losers. This is the first film I have walked out of!
0 of 1 users found this helpful
1
TanyaM.Oct 3, 2008
Over all quite boring, endless flashbacks get so repetitive that leaves you wanting the movie to just get to the point already! and it takes a while before it does. Very surprised it got such a high rating here since it's below average at best.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
erike.Jan 11, 2008
This "pointless, redemption-less wallow in misery" isn't in any way describable as a Greek Tragedy as many reviewers have stated - it flirts with the basic plot of a tragedy - characters suffer a reversal of fortune brought about by This "pointless, redemption-less wallow in misery" isn't in any way describable as a Greek Tragedy as many reviewers have stated - it flirts with the basic plot of a tragedy - characters suffer a reversal of fortune brought about by their fatal character flaws or mistakes in judgement - but unlike a tragedy, I at no point cared about these people or their misfortune because they seemed to bring it unnecessarily upon themselves and were at the start unredeemably nasty and ugly people - causing it to have no emotional impact, evoking no empathetic concern - very anti-cathartic - add to that the predictable heist gone wrong plot, the stiff pacing, uncompelling twists, absurd plot holes, the mediocre dialogue - and the above average acting doesn't come close to saving this film from its abysmal failure. - The critics can praise this all they want but I would dissuade others from seeing this, just as I would attempt to shield a loved one from unnecessarily walking in on a gruesome murderscene.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
AlixN.Apr 20, 2008
This is, from the opening shot, one ugly movie, surely without cdibility, or any virtue at all--shoddy sets, poor directing, some good acting now and then but not worth the price of sitting through this trash, which managed to fool the This is, from the opening shot, one ugly movie, surely without cdibility, or any virtue at all--shoddy sets, poor directing, some good acting now and then but not worth the price of sitting through this trash, which managed to fool the critics into giving Lumet at 83 all sorts of praise, I think mainly for the fact that he had the chutzpah to to do it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
LindaL.May 7, 2008
I was expecting something dark and gritty but with some humanity -- like "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" or "Layer Cake," for example. But this was just one morally moronic person after another lapsing into one bloody calamity after I was expecting something dark and gritty but with some humanity -- like "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" or "Layer Cake," for example. But this was just one morally moronic person after another lapsing into one bloody calamity after another. Love the lead actors, but never believed them as brothers. A depressing waste of time.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
MikeH.Aug 25, 2009
I can't imagine a movie which begins with an anal sex scene developing into anything worth watching... and this was no exception. Another perfect example of how stupid and WRONG professional movie critics are. A movie that the general I can't imagine a movie which begins with an anal sex scene developing into anything worth watching... and this was no exception. Another perfect example of how stupid and WRONG professional movie critics are. A movie that the general public will not like = a high rating from critics.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
CharlesS.Nov 1, 2007
Laudable but forced. Hoffman is mis-cast as a down-and-out businessman with a huge gut and addiction. Hawke vastly overplays his jittery sad-sack baby brother approach. Even the estimable Finney can't seem to find anything except a Laudable but forced. Hoffman is mis-cast as a down-and-out businessman with a huge gut and addiction. Hawke vastly overplays his jittery sad-sack baby brother approach. Even the estimable Finney can't seem to find anything except a one-note, lumbering, mouth-agape tone to his character, because the film is so two-dimensional in its concerns.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
JustynaP.Dec 3, 2007
I have seen movies with no other reason than that they were rated in the 80s-90s on Metacritic, and I've always ended up loving them too. Until this one. I have to agree with Ellen that the positive critic reviews are really directed I have seen movies with no other reason than that they were rated in the 80s-90s on Metacritic, and I've always ended up loving them too. Until this one. I have to agree with Ellen that the positive critic reviews are really directed more towards Lumet than towards the movie itself. I would not recommend the film to anyone - there are many better ones out there currently playing that are actually worth your time.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
[Anonymous]Oct 26, 2007
I don't get all the hype. This is a cheap looking movie with an outdated director and a story that falls into completely ridiculous melodrama by the end. No thanks.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
MatthewU.Dec 9, 2007
I felt that the film was well made, however, it seemed to drag for me, and the characters were mostly unlikeable. I did not really care one way or the other what happened to them.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
PaulW.Mar 5, 2008
A totally uninteresting been-there-done-that experience with a completely unimpressive, made-for-TV-feel atmosphere and a throw-away script to top the turd. No plausible or believable motivations are given for any of the character's A totally uninteresting been-there-done-that experience with a completely unimpressive, made-for-TV-feel atmosphere and a throw-away script to top the turd. No plausible or believable motivations are given for any of the character's actions, scenes are superfluously stretched adding exactly nothing to nought and the "Pulp Fiction-style" flashbacks with bits being repeated made it painfully obvious that no original thought was ever meant to be put into this astonishingly tired effort at 'clever' film-making. Only recommended for the repeated showing of Marisa Tomei's incredibly handsome fanny, the most Oscar-worthy display of a rear-end since Portman's lapdance in 'Closer'.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
FredXApr 20, 2008
Critics - these fine actors does not make this film any better than it really is, so give it the score it deserves. Something to hate about it, the "time jumps" which I think actually make the movie worse than it could have been. Apart from Critics - these fine actors does not make this film any better than it really is, so give it the score it deserves. Something to hate about it, the "time jumps" which I think actually make the movie worse than it could have been. Apart from that irritating aspect, the movie is plain boring and predictable and everything is dragged out forever. AVOID!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
MikeB.Apr 23, 2008
I agree with the Baltimore Sun evaluation... good acting, but not an enjoyable movie. This is an ugly movie in tone and essence, ultimately meaningless, which seemed to be the theme. I didn't care about the characters one whit, and the I agree with the Baltimore Sun evaluation... good acting, but not an enjoyable movie. This is an ugly movie in tone and essence, ultimately meaningless, which seemed to be the theme. I didn't care about the characters one whit, and the directorial drive towards pointless tragedy told without any kind of vision left me feeling like I was abused by the film. I pity the poor actors forced to live those characters for however long the project look.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
FilmfanNov 18, 2007
I resented every moment of this film. Do yourself a big favor and read the Salon review and the reader reviews of Ellen, ET and Jim. I strongly suspect some of the positive User reviews were planted.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
JimR.Nov 4, 2007
Vastly over rated. no one in my group cared about anyone in the movie. yes the acting is good.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
WillT.Dec 5, 2007
A self-important, highly unlikely mess.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
StevenG.Oct 28, 2007
The professional reviewers have confused over the top melodrama with substance. This movie portrays sex, drugs and murder in an messy implausible scenario. Marisa Tomei will not win an Oscar this time, but she sure is in great shape.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
RonGOct 29, 2007
Very forced melodrama. Unconvincing, formulaic.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
DirkDec 5, 2008
Terrible. Ethan Hawk is a lame actor and Hoffman made a mistake taking on this role. Don't waste your time or your money on this rubbish.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
ToddApr 17, 2008
Horrible. The perfect ratings this movie received is lunacy. This might have been the worst movie I have seen all year. Boring, predictable, overplayed and drawn out like to no end.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
PenelopeR.Feb 28, 2009
This movie is absurd: a relentless tumble from one horrible sequence of events to the next In essence, the viewer is inundated with each of the character's sins, ranging from homosexual heroin liaisons; to inter-family infidelities; to This movie is absurd: a relentless tumble from one horrible sequence of events to the next In essence, the viewer is inundated with each of the character's sins, ranging from homosexual heroin liaisons; to inter-family infidelities; to its filicidal climax... The characters lack any humanity, are impossible to sympathize with--particularly once the viewer, half an hour in, starts to understand that they are merely the author's little self-destruct machines. By the end, my partner and I were amusing ourselves by guessing in what contrived way it was about get worse. Correctly guessing, I might add. Predictability. Another of its sins. Only our shock-hungry generation cynical could buy this depiction of characters plowing so purposefully to their dooms as a morality tale. Depressiobitionist is more like it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
SuzanneM.Nov 29, 2009
One of the worst movies I've ever started to watch. Got half way though it, and shut it off. Not worth the energy to run it.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
KenRNov 10, 2020
There’s a film making device that not even the sometimes overrated Kubrick could make work (IE; check out his heist movie: ‘The Killing’) It’s the tired old flashback device of repeating the same scene over from several viewpoints, even whenThere’s a film making device that not even the sometimes overrated Kubrick could make work (IE; check out his heist movie: ‘The Killing’) It’s the tired old flashback device of repeating the same scene over from several viewpoints, even when it’s totally pointless (as it is here). First-time writer Kelly Masterson and veteran director Sidney Lumet must have felt everyone will have forgotten that padded-out earlier old flick, thinking they could get away with ‘borrowing’ the idea for their dreary heist movie. This one is a ‘doozy’ and should please those who live their lives thinking the best time of year is the bleak mid-winter - during a power failure and severe food shortage.

Writer and director must have been so aware of their over-stretched plot, that they may have thought (wrongly) by starting their movie with a sensationalised, voyeuristic porno type shot, featuring two of their stars rear-end copulating - will shock jaded viewers into thinking it exciting and modern. Trouble is, the whole thing is sleazily set up and ultimately unappealing. Pity the poor 40ish Marisa Tomei (even though she looks very good) is shown in 80% of her scenes more than half naked – talk about used and abused. Lumet would have been better to have retired before he was reduced to ending his career at this merge point. A strong hard-working cast delivers their distraught lines with conviction - while given situations that just about defies any close examination by intelligent audiences. The pathetic characters that inhabit this story are just too difficult to feel anything for. I’m not going to give away any plot details here but it’s this depressingly overstated type of movie making that appeals to festival in-crowds and certain critics. It’s also a reminder, for those who have forgotten what great classic writing used to do with genuine human tragedy. Here, it’s shredded and reduced to pathetic characters and ridiculously laboured situations - designed to manipulate the audience into thinking it way far better than it is (some will – many won't)… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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