"Before The Devil Knows You're Dead"

From the director who brought you "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Network" comes "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead", a dramatic look at desperation and what happens when plans go horribly wrong. Starring Philip Seymore Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, and Marisa Tomei, the film is as well-acted as it is depressing.

The story seems simple: two brothers, both facing financial crises, decide to rob a jewelry store. Simplicity ends there, as the store is owned by their parents, and the third conspirator enlisted to perform the heist shoots and is shot by the woman he is robbing. This is the mother of the two brothers, and the plans spin horribly out of control from that point onward. Without exposing too much of the story, every character eventually becomes wrapped up in the unraveling robbery, and before the film ends, each has the opportunity for vengeance.

The movie is superbly acted, with Hoffman and Hawke, at times, seeming to be trying to outdo each other. Everyone knows Hoffman is great; for God's sake, he's in 20 movies a year! But I had forgotten how good Ethan Hawke is, since I haven't seen him "Training Day" (Fast Food Nation and Assault on Precinct 13 don't count, and I never saw Lord of War). He is great in this film as a soft-natured and weak-minded younger brother who eventually tires of his older brother's (Hoffman) bullying. Marisa Tomei is decent here as well. Hollywood actresses should be knocking down her door, as she doesn't seem to have aged much more than a year since 1992's My Cousin Vinny. She does seem to have a little trouble keeping her clothes on, however; She spends a large percentage of the first 30 minutes with no shirt on, including a graphic sex scene to open the film. I'm not complaining, though, as she remains one of Hollywood's most beautiful and talented women.

Sidney Lumet has crafted a dark film about greed and necessity, and she skillfully shows what happens when the real world becomes twisted by both. The structure of the film is offsetting at first. The second scene is the robbery, and the film is pockmarked with flashbacks that fill the viewer in on what happened to each character in the days leading up to and after the robbery. While this style can be confusing and leave holes when utilized unskillfully, Lumet does a good job making sure that there are no questions left open or scenes made confusing by this "time-travel". It may not be the style I would have preferred, but it made sense and was done well. Lumet is a "lingering" director, though. By "lingering", I mean that he feels no urgency in his filmmaking process, which results in countless wordless, soundless, lingering shots on characters and their normal actions. He will film the entirety of Hoffman opening a bottle, pouring a drink, closing the bottle, and every action in between, to the point that the viewer might wish the film moved a bit quicker. This is Lumet, however, and anyone going to his movies should be prepared to fidget in their chairs for a few moments here and there. Otherwise, the story was entertaining and the characters were engrossing.

I felt that the film was good, not great, but decent. The actors made the film, though. Hoffman and Hawke, in the scenes together especially, made the movie worth seeing. There are no likable characters, however. Every person in the film has vices and demons, and it is very hard to find a character to root for. When you think you've found one, he changes, and you're left again with no positivity. It's not an uplifting movie, but its a good one, and worth a rent if you missed it in stores.

ROTTEN TOMATOES GRADE: 88% critics, 62% viewers

ANDERSON ELLIS GRADE: B-

You can just call me Don Corleone from now on...

So it's one week from Christmas, and I'm sitting here in a sub-60 degree room writing on a blog. But I'm watching The Godfather on DVD, so things really couldn't be better. I think there are only a few movies that I could watch and rewatch immediately after, but The Godfather is way up on the list. In honor of what many call "the best movie of all time", I'll subtitle my thoughts for the day with quotes from the movie.

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"It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes."

Here's a commercial running in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina:



Anyone have any idea what he's saying here? I think his message is a little convoluted. He should get "I love Jesus" tattooed on his forehead. Ron Paul commented to this commercial by saying:

"It reminds me of what Sinclair Lewis once said. He said 'when Facism comes to this country, it will wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross.' I don't know whether that's a fair assessment or not, but you wonder about using a cross like he's the only Christian or implying that subtly."

I thought we were past this, but I guess not. The only reason Huckabee is in this race is because the Christian Right is putting him on a pedestal for being a pastor. Get real.

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"I'll make him an offer he can't refuse."

So a buddy of mine is getting new golf clubs for Christmas and I'm thinking of buying his old ones. They are Titleist DCI Black clubs, which are better than mine, but I don't know how much better. They need new grips, too, so I'm thinking thats gonna run me like $50 to regrip them. So I don't know. I might do it, but I'm not wanting to spend $150 on new clubs right now. Hmm. Dilemma.

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"Leave the gun. Take the cannolis."

Fourteen games later than expected, Terrell Owens has finally called out the Dallas Cowboys for not using him properly. Owens just wants the damn ball! Its a good thing he spoke up, too, because without Terrell Owens, I think the Cowboys might not know how to win. Oh wait, they just have to hog-tie Jessica Simpson in LA to keep Romo's penis from losing the game for them again. Hog-tied Jessica Simpson... mental picture forming... amazing...

Roddy White and four other Falcons players have been suspended for showing shirts with "Free Mike Vick" on them during their game on Sunday. Isn't "Free Someone" usually reserved for people that most think are innocent and being held unjustly? Because last time I checked, Vick pleaded guilty. And he electrocuted dogs. I'm pretty sure that he shouldn't be freed simply because Alge Crumpler says so. Plus, I have sneaking suspicion that the 5 guys just want Vick out because their weekly sessions of "train little puppies to eat each other's faces" is one short now.

Bobby Petrino's douchebaggery has finally caught up to him. Earlier today, cornerback Ugo Okpara decommitted from Arkansas and resigned with Boston College. Okpara cites the coaching change as the reason for his move. "The problem with Arkansas was the reputation of coach [Bobby] Petrino leaving during the season. And not staying there and his name not being highly thought of like when he was Louisville. I didn't want to play ball for a coach that had a reputation like that. That kind of drove me away from Arkansas." In related news, a Louisville football player who wanted to transfer was granted a release but restricted against transferring to any Big East schools or Arkansas. Guess Louisville is still a little pissed. Couldn't have happened to a better guy, though. Bobby Petrino makes Nick Saban look like a Peace Corp worker, doing it all for the good of the little kids with the flies walking on their faces.

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"I spent my whole life trying not to be careless. Women and children can be careless. But not men."

Britney Spears' little sister is pregnant? And she's 16? And kinda hot? Yikes.

Frightening thing is, she's still not the most embarrassing member of that family.

I'm thinking that her deal with Nickelodeon and her show Zoey 101 might magically fall through, though. Might not send the right message for the high school star to gain 30 pounds and shit out a kid.



NEXT TIME: I'll continue my tribute to my favorite movies. And write more awesome stuff.