Director Sidney Lumet fuses dark wit, suspense and tragedy into "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," a time-shifting crime thriller that vibrates with energy.
The title is derived from an Irish toast: "May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead." But is it a blessing or a curse? Lumet's exceptional new crime saga is as full of entangled meanings as its name.
The story repeatedly builds to a climax, then pulls back to re-enter the cascading disasters from the viewpoint of a different character. The mosaic approach gives us competing perspectives on the action that heighten the suspense and enrich our understanding of the family conflicts that made the lethal blowup inevitable.
Filming with high-definition digital video cameras, Lumet weaves in and out of the action, proving to be as adroit with emerging technology as he was with old-school celluloid. In addition to being a study in great acting, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a study in great directing, and proof that it transcends eras, technology and fads.
By the time the tale is done, you're shocked at the intergenerational depravity Kelly Masterson's script has dredged up. Yet each character's failings lock into the family's matrix of self- destruction like the spokes on a DNA helix. The film is a devastating parable about the sins of the fathers and the payback of the sons.
"Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is a brazen tale of greed, lies, infidelity and murder, tht also offers a wicked deconstruction of a dysfunctional clan. It is rated R and has a running time of two hours, three minutes.
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''Before the Devil Knows You're Dead'...
Date and Time
Friday Feb 29, 2008 Monday Mar 3, 2008
February 29th, March 1st & 3rd at 7pm
Location
$5 general admission$3 students & senior citizens
Fees/Admission
$5 general admission$3 students & senior citizens
Website
Contact Information
315-781-LIVE (5483) or toll-free 866-355-LIVE (5483)
