Sidney Lumet’s newest film opens with, and takes its title from, an Irish toast that reads: “May you be in heaven a half an hour Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.” What follows is anything but a half an hour in heaven, as Lumet creates a disturbingly serious look at the decline of familial values through a suspenseful crime thriller.
Based on Kelly Masterson’s pessimistic screenplay, the film opens following the route of a typical crime caper as two men attempt to rob a mom-and-pop jewelry store in suburban New York. The robbery goes awry, putting one of the elderly proprietress in critical condition. From this point, the story evolves into anything but typical.
What unfolds is the morbid and tragic story of a family torn apart by years of bitterness, angst and emotional detatchment. The film initially centers on an attempt at easy money by two brothers: Andy (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Hank (Ethan Hawke). However, the robbery is soon unveiled as an elaborate attempt by angst-ridden Andy to get back at his emotionally detached father, Charles (Albert Finney), who owns the jewelry store. Hank is dragged along due to his own personal problems, including his inability to pay child support on time to his ex-wife and daughter, who insist he is a loser.
The film continually builds up to a climax, yet frequently shifts back in time to depict the events leading up to this heist from the perspective of Andy, Hank or Charles. This method effectively adds a human element to the action, portraying the negative choices leading up to the botched heist and leading to the eventual death of Nanette (Rosemary Harris)—Andy and Hank’s mother. Even Andy and Hank’s supposed partnership proves tumultuous when we learn Hank has been sleeping with Andy’s trophy wife, Gina (Marisa Tomei). Furthermore, this highlights that the motivation behind these actions is purely human, terribly flawed and powerful enough to destroy an entire family.
Lumet makes spectacular use of a dream cast. Hoffman is as vile as humanly possible, Hawke admirably depicts very relatable and tragic aspects of being the “deadbeat” younger brother and Finney’s quest for vengeance drives him to become an obsessive, ranting monster. At times, the story seems to tackle too many issues at once, but these characters add a raw, edgy aspect to the storytelling and leave the viewer in a constant state of anxiety. The characters are so well-delivered that, at times, you forget it is a movie and feel sorry for the state of the world this film depicts.
That said, some viewers may not feel sorrow or care to discern the film’s entangled messages. Ultimately, the film serves as a summation of a 47th Street jewelry fence’s claim that “the world is an evil place.” Just what makes it evil is entirely up to the viewer’s interpretation. While it may be too dark or require too much work for viewers simply in search of entertainment, the film is, nonetheless, hard to forget. It’s worth a watch if you can stomach it.
