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' jewelry 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 | Money | Robbery | Violence | Baby

Awards:

16 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Andy
Ethan Hawke	...	Hank
Albert Finney	...	Charles
Marisa Tomei	...	Gina
Aleksa Palladino	...	Chris
Michael Shannon	...	Dex
Amy Ryan	...	Martha
Sarah Livingston	...	Danielle
Brían F. O'Byrne	...	Bobby
Rosemary Harris	...	Nanette
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 (as Mateo Gomez)
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		(music by)

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	....	hair department head
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)
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	....	scenic charge
George Kousoulides	....	camera scenic
Jim Miller	....	construction coordinator
Quang Nguyen	....	scenic foreman
Glen Pangione	....	shop craft coordinator
Frank Proscia	....	key construction grip
Joseph Proscia	....	construction grip
Jeffrey Rollins	....	props
Kelly Solomon	....	art department coordinator
Steve Swanson	....	leadman (as Stephen Swanson)
Doug Coleman	....	set dresser (uncredited)
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)
Marcia C. Suter	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Christopher Weiser	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rachel Chancey	....	foley editor
Robert Fernandez	....	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	....	re-recording mixer
Dave Paterson	....	supervising sound editor
Mary Ellen Porto	....	adr editor
Mary Ellen Porto	....	dialogue editor
Damian Volpe	....	effects editor
Warren A. Weberg	....	second boom operator (as Warren Weberg)
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer (uncredited)
Nick Foley	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Jay Peck	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Jan Petrov	....	sound recordist: commentary (uncredited)
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Andy Welker	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

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

Visual Effects by
Jesse Morrow	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)

Stunts
John Cenatiempo	....	stunt coordinator
Keith Siglinger	....	stunt double: Mr. O'Byrne
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Jill Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chris Cenatiempo	....	assistant stunt coordinator (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	....	b dolly grip
Jerry DeBlau	....	gaffer (as Jerry Deblau)
Angelo Di Giacomo	....	first assistant: b camera (as Angelo Digiacomo)
Kenneth Dodd	....	best boy electric (as Ken Dodd)
Glen Engels	....	best boy grip
Kenneth Fundus	....	a dolly grip (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 a-camera
Eric Leigh	....	rigging gaffer
Abby Levine	....	digital imaging technician
Gus Limberis	....	camera utility (as Constantine Limberis)
Bruce MacCallum	....	a camera operator (as Bruce Maccallum)
Adam Miller	....	second assistant b-camera
Richard A. Mitchell	....	electrician (as Richard T. Mitchell)
Jerad Molkenthin	....	electrician (as Jerad W. Molkenthin)
Heather Norton	....	first assistant a-camera
Brent Poleski	....	grip
Peter Reniers	....	b camera operator
Kelly Rutkowski	....	best boy rigging electric
Brooke Stanford	....	generator operator
Joseph Viano	....	best boy rigging grip
David Kavanaugh	....	additional electric (uncredited)
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 (uncredited)
Geoffrey Miclat	....	casting associate (uncredited)
Claire Traeger	....	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
Jessica Elvin	....	digital restoration (uncredited)
Jesse Morrow	....	on-line editor (uncredited)
Michael P. Whipple	....	digital intermediate engineer (uncredited)

Music Department
Carter Burwell	....	conductor
Carter Burwell	....	orchestrator
Michael Farrow	....	scoring mixer
Tony Finno	....	music copyist
Sandra Park	....	music contractor
Dean Parker	....	assistant to: Mr. Burwell

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
Frymi Biedak	....	assistant to: Mr. Bergstein
Daniel B. Cone	....	set staff assistant (as Daniel Cone)
Grey Cusack	....	production intern
Gregg Davis	....	stand in for: Mr. Hoffman
Alvaro Donado	....	locations coordinator
David Fischer	....	set staff assistant
Jason Fritz	....	production secretary
Chris Gibson	....	set staff assistant
Andy Gilbert	....	caterer
Paula Gilmore	....	assistant to: Mr. Gilmore
Carol Green	....	unit publicist
James R. Hale	....	production accountant (as James Hale)
Kevin Hall	....	office staff assistant
James Hook	....	stand in for: Mr. Hawke
Lilith Jacobs	....	assistant to: Mr. Lumet
Edma Jadan	....	on set craft service person
Jason Kadlec	....	location scout
Jim Lavin	....	stand in for: 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 by: Marshall Light LLP.
Tracy A. Martin	....	assistant to: Mr. Cerenzie & Mr. Linse (as Tracy Martin)
Fred Milstein	....	completion bond: Cinefinance
Steve Oppenheim	....	set staff assistant (as Steven Oppenheim)
Ralph Pellegrini	....	location assistant
Patricia Porter	....	payroll accountant
Stephanie Rogers	....	stand in for: Ms. Tomei
Beth M. Schniebolk	....	first assistant accountant
Andrew D. Stocker	....	second assistant accountant (as Andrew Stocker)
Daniel Strol	....	location manager
Nicholas Thomason	....	assistant production office coordinator (as Nick Thomason)
Jamie Waxman	....	accounting clerk
Abigail Zealey Bess	....	assistant location manager
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services (uncredited)
Wendy Benge	....	production attorney (uncredited)
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)
Jesse Toledano	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Priti Trivedi	....	additional production secretary (uncredited)
Christian Vendetti	....	staff production assistant (uncredited)
Han West	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Neil Criscuolo	....	thanks (as Sgt. Neil Criscuolo)

Production Companies

• Capitol Films (presents)
• Funky Buddha Productions (presents) (as Funky Buddha Group)
• Unity Productions (as A Unity Production/Linsefilm Ltd. Production)
• Linsefilm (as A Unity Production/Linsefilm Ltd. Production)
• Michael Cerenzie Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• THINKFilm (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Capitol Films (2007) (worldwide) (all media) (as Capitol)
• 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)
• UGC PH (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)
• Europa Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Film1 (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Gativideo (2008) (Argentina) (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  production finance provided by
• Atlantic Cine Equipment  remote heads (uncredited)
• Cine Finance  completion bond (as Cinefinance)
• Clinton Recording Studios  score recorded at
• Infatrade Group  gap financing (uncredited)
• Infatrade Group  gap financing provided by
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Mammoth Advertising  publicity (uncredited)
• Marc Graue Recording Services  ADR recording facility (uncredited)
• Marshall Wight  legal counsel (as Marshall Wight LLP)
• NYPD Movie and TV Unit  thanks to (as NYPD, MOFT Unit)
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  thanks to (as City of New York Mayor's Office for Film, Theatre and Broadcasting)
• New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development  thanks to (as The New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture and Television Development)
• PES Payroll  payroll services provided by (as Pes Payroll)
• Panavision  Genesis HD cameras & lenses
• People of New York, The  thanks to
• Sound One  sound services provided by
• Technicolor New York  high definition processing by
• Technicolor  release printing
• The Wilton Rivas Company  craft service (as Wilson Rivas Company)
• Tribe Road Catering  catering company

Also Known As:

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

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS (as dts)

Certification:

Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | 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:14 | Netherlands:16 | Chile:14 | Canada:16+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Capitol Films

Trivia:

Sidney Lumet's final film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Andy and Hank break into Justin's apartment, a camera shadow can briefly be seen on a wall tracking past.

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:

Referenced in "Richard Roeper & the Movies: Jack Goes Boating (#1.74)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Morning Star

Do you Mind if I Call you Chico?

Two dysfunctional brothers (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke) get tired of competing for who is the bigger f***-up and who Daddy (Albert Finney) loves more, so they hatch a hair-brained scheme to rob Mommy and Daddy's jewelry store so that they can clear their debts and start fresh. Sounds like a great plan except that this is a suspenseful 1970's style melodrama about a heist gone wrong, and boy, do things really go wrong here for our hapless duo and everyone involved. Lasciviously concocted by screenwriter Kelly Masterson and classically executed by director Sidney Lumet, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" uses the heist as its McGuffin to delve deep into family drama.

Contrary to popular belief, Sidney Lumet is not dead. At age 83, he has apparently made a deal with the Devil to deliver one last great film. Lumet was at his zenith in the 1970's with films like "Dog Day Afternoon," "Serpico," and one of my favorite films of all time, "Network". He has somehow managed to make a film that bears all the hallmarks of his classics while intertwining some more modern elements (graphic sexuality, violence, and playing with time-frames and POV's) into a crackling, vibrant, lean, mean, and provocative melodrama. One can only hope that some of the modern greats (like Scorsese or Spielberg) who emerged during the same decade Lumet was at the top of his game will have this much chutzpah left when they reach that age.

Lumet is a master at directing people walking through spaces to create tension and develop characters. As the cast waltzes through finely appointed Manhattan offices and apartments his slowly moving camera creates a palpable sense of anxiety as we never know who might be around the next corner or what this person might do in the next room. Also amazing is how Lumet utilizes the multiple POV and shifting time-frame approach. The coherent and classical presentation he uses makes the similarly structured films of wunderkinds Christopher Nolan and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu seem like amateur hour.

Of course, what Lumet is best at is directing amazing ensemble casts and tricking them into acting within an inch of their lives. Philip Seymour Hoffman has never been, and most likely never will be, better than he is here. Albert Finney's quietly searing portrayal of a father betrayed and at the end of his rope is a masterpiece to watch unfold. Ethan Hawke, normally a nondescript pretty boy, is perfect as the emotionally crippled younger brother who has skated by far too long on his charms and looks. The coup-de-grace, however, is the series of scenes between Hoffman and Marisa Tomei, eerily on point as his flighty trophy wife. Lumet runs them through the gamut of emotions that culminate in a scene that is the best of its kind since William Holden taunted Beatrice Straight right into a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in "Network."

The Devil of any great film is in the details, from Albert Finney's tap of his car's trunk that won't close due to a fender bender, to the look Amy Ryan (fresh off her amazing turn in "Gone Baby Gone") gives her ex-husband Ethan Hawke at his mawkish promise to his little girl all three of them knows he won't keep, to the systematic unraveling of a family on the skids, to the dialog begging for cultists to quote it (my favorite line being the hilariously threatening "Do you mind if I call you Chico?") to the excellent Carter Burwell score. "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is the film of the year. If something emerges to best it, then we know a few other deals must've been brokered with Old Scratch.