Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer (WGA):

Kelly Masterson (written by)

Release Date:

26 September 2007 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

No one was supposed to get hurt.

Plot:

When two brothers organize the robbery of their parents' jewelery store the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends them, their father and one brother's wife hurtling towards a shattering climax.

Plot Keywords:

Gun | Robbery | Money | Real Estate Office | Death

Awards:

11 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Andy Hanson
Ethan Hawke	...	Hank Hanson
Albert Finney	...	Charles Hanson
Marisa Tomei	...	Gina Hanson
Aleksa Palladino	...	Chris Lasorda
Michael Shannon	...	Dex
Amy Ryan	...	Martha Hanson
Sarah Livingston	...	Danielle Hanson
Brian F. O'Byrne	...	Bobby Lasorda (as Brían F. O'Byrne)
Rosemary Harris	...	Nanette Hanson
Blaine Horton	...	Justin
Arija Bareikis	...	Katherine
Leonardo Cimino	...	William
Lee Wilkof	...	Jake
Damon Gupton	...	Doctor
Adrian Martinez	...	Security Guard
Patrick G. Burns	...	Priest
Alice Spivak	...	Receptionist
Natalie Gold	...	Secretary
Keith Davis	...	Attendant
Mateo Gómez	...	Doorman
Myra Lucretia Taylor	...	Grader
Chris Chalk	...	Officer
Sakina Jaffrey	...	Manager
John Knox	...	Desk Sergeant
James Lally	...	Agent
Jordan Gelber	...	Agent #2
Megan Byrne	...	Nurse
Marcia Jean Kurtz	...	Hospital Receptionist
Guy A. Fortt	...	Vendor
Meredith Patterson	...	Andy's Secretary
Tom Zolandz	...	Junkie
Paul Butler	...	Detective
Anita Sklar	...	Mourner #1
Josh Mowery	...	Mourner #2
Diane Bradley	...	Mourner #3
Richard K. Lublin	...	Mourner #4
Bob Colletti	...	Ambulance Driver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mary DeBellis	...	Mall shopper (uncredited)
Alex Emanuel	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Denis McKeown	...	Mourner (uncredited)
Nicholas E. Pagani	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lumet

Writing credits (WGA)
Kelly Masterson		(written by)

Produced by
Belle Avery	....	executive producer
Jane Barclay	....	executive producer
David Bergstein	....	executive producer
Michael Cerenzie	....	producer
Austin Chick	....	co-producer
Joel Corenman	....	co-executive producer
Carol Cuddy	....	line producer
William S. Gilmore	....	producer
J.J. Hoffman	....	executive producer
Eli Klein	....	executive producer
Hannah Leader	....	executive producer
Brian Linse	....	producer
Jeffry Melnick	....	executive producer
Paul Parmar	....	producer
Guy Pham	....	co-executive producer
Jeff G. Waxman	....	co-producer
Sam Zaharis	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Ron Fortunato		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom Swartwout

Casting by
Ellen Lewis
Lindsay Chag		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Christopher Nowak

Art Direction by
Wing Lee

Set Decoration by
Diane Lederman

Costume Design by
Tina Nigro

Makeup Department
Jeong-Hwa Fonkalsrud	....	makeup artist (as Jeong-Hwa Fonklasrud)
Wayne Herndon	....	department head hair
Patricia Regan	....	makeup department head
Diana Sikes	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Carol Cuddy	....	unit production manager
Lilith Jacobs	....	post-production supervisor
Patty Willett	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marissa Kaplan	....	dga trainee
Amy Lauritsen	....	second assistant director
Joseph P. Reidy	....	first assistant director (as Joseph Reidy)
John Silvestri	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Tommy Allen	....	property master (as Tom Allen)
Doug Coleman	....	set dresser
Chris Dolan	....	construction shop electrician
Daniel Dougherty	....	construction staff assistant (as Dan Dougherty)
Ann Edgeworth	....	assistant property master
Rafael Fraguada	....	on-set dresser (as Rafael M. Foraguada)
Alex Gorodetsky	....	charge scenic artist
George Kousoulides	....	camera scenic artist
Jim Miller	....	construction coordinator
Quang Nguyen	....	scenic foreman
Glenn Pangione	....	shop craft coordinator (as Glen Pangione)
Frank Proscia	....	key construction grip
Joseph Proscia	....	construction grip
Jeffrey Rollins	....	props
Kelly Solomon	....	art department coordinator
Marcia C. Suter	....	scenic artist
Steve Swanson	....	leadman (as Stephen Swanson)
Christopher Weiser	....	scenic artist
Alison Ford	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Courtney Aura Freeman	....	key art department production assistant (uncredited)
Christopher G. Markunas	....	shop craftsman (uncredited)
Christine Moosher	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Blythe R.D. Quinlan	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Daniel Rosenfeld	....	scenic shopman (uncredited)
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rachel Chancey	....	foley editor
Robert Fernandez	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Rob Fernandez)
Gregg Harris	....	first boom operator
Thomas Kodros	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Christopher Newman	....	production sound mixer (as Chris Newman)
Dave Paterson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dave Paterson	....	supervising sound editor
Mary Ellen Porto	....	adr editor
Mary Ellen Porto	....	dialogue editor
Damian Volpe	....	sound effects editor
Warren A. Weberg	....	second boom operator
Andy Welker	....	adr recordist
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer (uncredited)
Nick Foley	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Jay Peck	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Phillip Beck	....	special effects technician
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	special effects technician
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects coordinator
John Stifanich	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Jesse Morrow	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
John Cenatiempo	....	stunt coordinator
Keith Siglinger	....	stunt double: Mr.O'Byrne
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Jill Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Colletti	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Peter Epstein	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Marini	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Wesley Battle	....	grip
Vincent Camuto	....	electrician
Howard Davidson	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Jerry DeBlau	....	gaffer
Angelo Di Giacomo	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Angelo Digiacomo)
Kenneth Dodd	....	best boy electric (as Ken Dodd)
Glen Engels	....	best boy grip
Kenneth Fundus	....	dolly grip: "a" camera (as Kenny Fundus)
Kevin Gilligan	....	grip (as Kevin Casey Gilligan)
Richard Guinness Jr.	....	key grip
Will Hart	....	still photographer
Billy Kerwick	....	key rigging grip
Denny Kortze	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Eric Leigh	....	rigging gaffer
Abby Levine	....	digital imaging technician
Gus Limberis	....	camera utility (as Constantine Limberis)
Bruce MacCallum	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Adam Miller	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Richard A. Mitchell	....	electrician (as Richard T. Mitchell)
Jerad Molkenthin	....	electrician (as Jerad W. Molkenthin)
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Brent Poleski	....	grip
Peter Reniers	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Kelly Rutkowski	....	best boy rigging electric
Brooke Stanford	....	generator operator
Joseph Viano	....	best boy rigging grip
William Louthe	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael C. Maronna	....	electrician (uncredited)
Craig Pecchia	....	assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
David Woolner	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Meredith Jacobson	....	extras casting
Erin Mayhugh	....	local extras casting
Claire Traeger	....	casting associate
Geoffrey Miclat	....	casting associate (uncredited)
Adam Vincentz	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Arlynn Abseck	....	set costumer
Nicole Evangelista	....	costume supervisor
Chris Ann Pappas	....	assistant costume designer
Kate Quinlan	....	key costumer
Lucia Lettini	....	costumer (uncredited)
Debbie Lucas	....	seamstress (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Joe Gawler	....	color timer
Jennifer Lame	....	apprentice editor
Jennifer Lilly	....	associate editor
Jesse Morrow	....	on-line editor
Michael P. Whipple	....	digital intermediate engineer (uncredited)

Music Department
Carter Burwell	....	conductor
Carter Burwell	....	orchestrator
Tony Finno	....	music copyist
Dean Parker	....	assistant to composer
Sandra Park	....	music contractor
Michael Farrow	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Canavan	....	transportation co-captain
David Conelli	....	driver: insert car (as Dave Conelli)
Eugene O'Neill	....	transportation captain (as Gene O'Neill)

Other crew
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services
Frymi Biedak	....	assistant: Mr. Bergstein
Daniel B. Cone	....	set staff assistant (as Daniel Cone)
Gregg Davis	....	stand-in: Mr. Hoffman
Alvaro Donado	....	location coordinator
David Fischer	....	set staff assistant
Jason Fritz	....	production secretary
Chris Gibson	....	set staff assistant
Andy Gilbert	....	caterer
Paula Gilmore	....	assistant: Mr. Gilmore
Carol Green	....	unit publicist
James R. Hale	....	production accountant (as James Hale)
Kevin Hall	....	office staff assistant
James Hook	....	stand-in: Mr. Hawke
Lilith Jacobs	....	assistant: Mr. Lumet
Edma Jadan	....	on-set craft service
Jason Kadlec	....	location scout
Jim Lavin	....	stand-in: Mr. Finney
Christopher M. Lewis	....	office staff assistant (as Chris Lewis)
Jessica Lichtner	....	script supervisor
Francisco Marcial	....	parking coordinator (as Cisco Marcial)
Jonathan S. Marshall	....	legal counsel
Tracy A. Martin	....	assistant: Mr. Cerenzie & Mr. Linse (as Tracy Martin)
Fred Milstein	....	completion bond: Cinefinance
Steve Oppenheim	....	set staff assistant
Ralph Pellegrini	....	location assistant
Patricia Porter	....	payroll accountant
Stephanie Rogers	....	stand-in: Ms. Tomei
Beth M. Schniebolk	....	first assistant production accountant
Andrew D. Stocker	....	second assistant accountant (as Andrew Stocker)
Daniel Strol	....	location manager
Nicholas Thomason	....	assistant production office coordinator (as Nick Thomason)
Jesse Toledano	....	set production assistant
Jamie Waxman	....	accounting clerk
Marshall Wight	....	legal counsel
Abigail Zealey Bess	....	assistant location manager
Brandon Blake	....	legal services: Blake & Wang P.A. (uncredited)
Kate Bogle	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Glenn Ferrara	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Brian Hershkowitz	....	production intern (uncredited)
Michael C. Lizzio	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mike Martin	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Sara Murphy	....	assistant: Philip Seymour Hoffman (uncredited)
Griffin Newman	....	production intern (uncredited)
Sean Oliver	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Daniel Silverman	....	film recorder (uncredited)
Bill Timoney	....	adr voice group (uncredited)
Priti Trivedi	....	additional production secretary (uncredited)
Christian Vendetti	....	staff production assistant (uncredited)
Han West	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Sgt. Neil Criscuolo	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Linsefilm
• Michael Cerenzie Productions
• Unity Productions

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Koch Media (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2007) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2008) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• THINKFilm (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• UGC Distribution (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• Village Films (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2008) (Greece) (DVD)
• Bazuca Films (2008) (Chile) (all media)
• Capitol Films (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Europa Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Medusa Film (2008) (Italy) (all media)

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script clearance and research (uncredited)
• Allied Irish Bank  provider: production finance
• Atlantic Cine Equipment  remote heads (uncredited)
• Cine Finance  completion bond (as Cinefinance)
• Clinton Recording Studios  score recorded at
• Infatrade Group  gap financing
• Infatrade Group  provider: gap financing
• Mammoth Advertising  publicity (uncredited)
• Marshall, Wight  production legal
• PES Payroll  payroll services
• Panavision  Genesis HD cameras & lenses
• Sound One  sound services
• Technicolor New York  high definition processing
• The Wilton Rivas Company  craft service (as Wilson Rivas Company)
• Tribe Road Catering  catering
• Wendy Benge, Esq.  production attorney

MPAA:

Rated R for a scene of strong graphic sexuality, nudity, violence, drug use and language.

Runtime:

117 min | Canada:123 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Canada:18A | France:U | Taiwan:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Ireland:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Malaysia:18PL | Australia:MA | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16 | Finland:K-15 | New Zealand:R16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Hong Kong:III | USA:R (certificate #43235) | Ireland:15 (video rating) | Japan:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Singapore:R21 | Brazil:16 | Peru:18

Filming Locations:

Bayside, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Linsefilm

Trivia:

In the original script, Gina and Andrew Hanson had a child. Sidney Lumet removed this character from the final script.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene where Andy and Gina are discussing whether they should leave for Rio, she mentions that there are no extradition treaties between Brazil and the United States. This is not true, although her comment was actually more a jab at her husband than actual knowledge.

Quotes:

Andrew 'Andy' Hanson: The thing about real estate accounting is that you can, you can, add down the page or across the page and everything works out. Everyday, everything adds up. The, the total is always the sum of its parts. It's, uh, clean. It's clear. Neat, absolute. But my life, it, uh, it doesn't add up. It, uh... Nothing connects to anything else. It's, uh... I'm not, I'm not the sum of my parts. All my parts don't add up to one... to one me, I guess.
Justin: Get a shrink or a wife.
Andrew 'Andy' Hanson: Uh, I got a wife.
Justin: Get a shrink.

Movie Connections:

References Blame It on Rio (1984)

Soundtrack:

This Too Shall Pass

Treads familiar ground but does it with grand, depressing intensity and fantastic style

I am beginning to see a very consistent pattern form in the identity of 2007's films. If 2004 was the year of the biographies and 2005 was the year of the political films, 2007 can be identified as a year featuring a wide plethora of morality tales, films that portray, test, challenge and question human morality and the motives that drive us to do certain things. Although this identification is rather broad, I think that there are a handful of films released this year, such as 3:10 To Yuma, Eastern Promises, American Gangster, No Country for Old Men and others that specifically question and study human morals and the motives that drive us to acts such as violence or treachery. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is a deviously stylish morality tale, and quite a dark, bleak and depressing one at that. And even better is the fact that it comes from one of the greatest classic directorial forces of our time, the legendary Sidney Lumet, who many have said has passed his prime but returns in full force with this viciously rich crime thriller.

It's one of those films whose plots are so thick, that one is very reluctant to go into details. It is a movie that is best enjoyed if entered without any prior knowledge to the events about to unfold, as there are twists and turns. But the thick and richly wrought plot is not at all at the center of this film; the true focus is, as I mentioned, the morality tale; the motives that drive these two men to the actions they do in the film. In a plot structured like a combination between the filmographies of both The Coen Brothers (namely Blood Simple and Fargo) and Quentin Tarantino, we see two men driven under various shady circumstances to pull off a fairly simple crime that goes incredibly, ridiculously wrong, and reciprocates with full force and inevitable tragedy. And to make it all the more interesting, the film is told in a fragmented chronology that keeps back tracking and showing a series of events following a different character every time and always ending up where it left off the last time. Sizzling, sharp, thick and precariously depressing, Kelly Masterson's screenplay is surprisingly poignant and well rounded, in particular because it is a debut screenplay.

But the film has much more going for it than just it's delectably sinister and quite depressing plot. First and foremost, the picture looks and feels outstandingly well. Sidney Lumet has, throughout his career, consistently employed an interesting style of cinematography and lighting: naturalistic and yet stylish at the same time. The film carries with it a distinctive air of style and class, with wonderful natural lighting that just looks really great. Editing is top-notch; combining the sizzling drama-thriller aspect with great long takes that really take their time to portray the action accordingly. And vivid, dynamic camera angles and movements further add to the style. The film is also backed by a fantastically succulent musical score by Carter Burwell.

The screenplay does its part, and of course Lumet does his part, but at the film's dramatic center are three masterful actors who deliver incredibly good performances. First and foremost, there are the two leads. Leading the pack is Philip Seymour Hoffman, who has always been an excellent actor but has stumbled upon newfound leading-man status after his unnaturally fantastic Oscar-winning performance in Capote. His turn in this film is fascinating: severely flawed, broken, manic. Hoffman has some truly intense scenes in the film that really allow his full dramatic fury to come out, and not just his subtlety and wit. At his side is Ethan Hawke, who has delivered some fantastic performances in many films that are almost always overshadowed by greater, grander actors. Here, he bounces off Hoffman and complements him so incredibly well; in all, the dynamic acting between the two of them is just so utterly fantastic and convincing, the audience very quickly loses itself in the characters and forgets that it's watching actors. And then there's Albert Finney. Such a supple, opulent supporting role like the one he has requires a veteran professional and here Finney delivers his finest performance in many years as the tragically obsessed father to the two brothers who get caught up in the crime. I love how the dynamics between the three of them play out. I love how Hoffman is clearly the dominant brother and shamelessly picks on his younger brother even now that they're middle-aged men; and yet despite this, it is clear how Finney's father favours Hawke's younger, weaker brother. Also on the topic of the cast, the two supporting female characters – wives of the brothers – also feature fantastic performances from Amy Ryan and Marisa Tomei, whose looks just get better and better as the years go by.

This film isn't revolutionary. These themes and this style have already been explored by the likes of The Coen Brothers, and it's very easy to imagine them directing this film. But for a film that treads familiar ground, it simply excels. Lumet employs his own immense directorial talent and employs his unique and very subtle sense of irony and style to Masterson's brilliantly vivid, intense, and morbidly depressing first-time screenplay. The lead performances are incredibly intense and the film features absolutely fantastic turns from Hoffman, Hawke and Finney; but the truly greatest wonder of the film is that three years after he won a Lifetime Achievement Oscar, much revered as the ultimate sign of retirement in the film business, Sidney Lumet proves that he still has the immense talent to deliver a truly wonderful, resonant, intense piece of cinema reminiscent of his golden years.