There’s a sense of the filmmaker himself trying to decide just what to make of this spectacle he’s staged, what stance to take.
Comment
11/13/07
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
88
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:156
Fresh:137
Rotten:19
Average Rating:7.7/10
Consensus: A tense and effective thriller, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead marks a triumphant return to form for director Sidney Lumet.
Rated: 15 [See Full Rating]
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Genre: Family Interaction, Thriller, Infidelity, Theatrical Release, Brothers, Affairs
Theatrical Release:11-01-2008
Synopsis: From the unexpectedly graphic opening shot, director Sidney Lumet proves he hasn't lost any of his bite with age. BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD is a riveting suspense thriller that retains the... [More]
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, Albert Finney
Director: Sidney Lumet
Reviews for Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
He’s 83 years old and still has the vitality and lust to make a terrific heist-gone-bad movie!
11/11/07
The structure is not so much "Rashomon-like" as it is like watching a photo developing with pulse quickening intensity.
11/11/07
Proving why he's still an American classic, 83-year-old director Sidney Lumet turns in another brilliantly executed crime thriller
11/11/07
Old fox Lumet deals out some flash cutting and time frame back-and-forths that, if not the Tarantino tango, are fairly adventurous.
11/09/07
What a movie. What a director.
11/09/07
If God is in the obvious details, Devil is in the ones you might tragically overlook.
11/09/07
There's no larger message other than that greed gives us something to hold on to even as it kills us.
11/09/07
Click to read the article
11/09/07
Lumet shrewdly hangs back, exploiting the long-take potential of his crappy DV and letting scenes play out for what feels like ages, granting this naughty little noir a soul that probably never existed on the page.
11/09/07
Mr. Lumet has forgotten nothing, and still knows more than almost anyone about the elusive art of directing actors.
11/08/07
Consistently engaging and suspenseful, tragic in a grand, Greek way, and loaded with sharp performances.
11/08/07
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is often an uncomfortable film to sit through, but the rewards it offers make it well worth the effort.
11/08/07
Gives a crackerjack cast some fine characters and dialogue to tussle with.
11/07/07
If you are craving a juicy thriller, then put this movie at the top of your list.
11/06/07
In an astounding piece of filmmaking, 83-year-old director Sidney Lumet and writer Kelly Masterson provide the year's most unusual theater-going experience --- a powerful film that will shock, surprise, thrill and amaze you.
11/06/07
...(a) dark, dour, depressing dirge.
11/04/07
Insightful, impeccably crafted crime drama with the moral undertones of classic Greek tragedy.
11/04/07
[Lumet] proves that at 83 he's still the master of the game.
11/03/07
Watching this impeccably crafted melodrama, you feel grateful for a veteran filmmaker who serves a gripping story with a confident efficiency that's lean, mean and focused like a laser.
11/02/07
Latest News for Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
April 14, 2008:
RT on DVD: Juno, AVP2, and Dungeon Siege
If you're not sick of hearing Diablo Cody this, hamburger phone that, then this week's bonus-packed release of Juno should be numero uno on your list, home skillet. Otherwise,... More...
March 07, 2008:
Paper Magazine Compiles Top Ten Worst Nude Scenes of All Time
Nude scenes: we love them. Well, most of the time, anyway. More...
December 17, 2007:
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Dexter Make AFI's 2007 Best-Of List
If there's one thing the American Film Institute loves, it's a list -- and with the end of 2007 rapidly approaching, you know what that means: It's time to run down the AFI's... More...
December 14, 2007:
Atonement, Control Lead London Film Critics Noms
The London Critics Circle has announced the nominees for its year-end awards, with Anton Corbijn's Control and Joe Wright's Atonement leading the pack at eight nominations apiece. More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube 
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds