The untimely death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman will leave a permanent void in Hollywood, as the world of movies lost one of the greatest talents of all time. The Academy Award winning Hoffman became one of my personal all time favorites with his role in 1992’s “Scent of a Woman.” Even as a child I was mesmerized by his sheer brilliance and could tell even then that there is a big difference between movie stars, and actors.
Appearing in over fifty movies, Hoffman possessed the rare ability of not only bringing a character to life, but making every character his own. Hoffman’s range spanned from astute CIA agent Gust Avrakotos in “Charlie Wilson’s War” to the cowardly and sniveling worm George Willis Jr. in “Scent of a Woman.” Choose any movie Hoffman is in and you are guaranteed to get an all out stellar performance.
Hoffman’s stage dominance was on tip-top display in the 2007 crime thriller “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.” Directed by Sidney Lumet (the legendary director who helmed the original “Twelve Angry Men” in 1957) “Devil” features elements and style similar to classics “Reservoir Dogs” and “Fargo” in its plot – the aftermath of a bloody jewelry store heist gone awry – and its layout which focuses on three different yet intertwined characters in a one-at-a-time flashback form. The film’s title comes from the Irish saying “May you be in heaven a full half-hour before the devil knows you’re dead.”
Smooth talking shyster Andy Hanson (Hoffman) is an executive in a large Manhattan corporation. Andy has been embezzling funds from his employers in effort to finance his drug addiction. As the IRS is about to close in, Andy has ideas of fleeing to Brazil with his wife. Needing one big score in order to secure the funding, Andy schemes with his more timid and docile younger brother Hank (Ethan Hawke) to rob a jewelry store owned and operated by their own hard working middle class parents. “We don’t want Tiffany’s. We want a mom and pop operation,” Andy explains. “That’s mom and dad’s store.” A dismayed Hank replies in shock, “That’s what I said. A mom and pop operation.”
With the actual robbery serving as the central point for the film, the characters and their very different lives are shown before, during, and after. Hank’s fears of committing the act lead him to seek assistance from thug friend Bobby (Brian F. O’Byrne) while Andy continues to con over his superiors at work and his own wife Gina (Marisa Tomei), who is hiding her own secrets.
Not to be outdone by Hoffman, Ethan Hawke turns out a phenomenal performance as well. Akin to his role of Todd Anderson in “Dead Poets Society.” Hawke manages to fully embody the weak willed and constant life failure Hank in a way that makes the viewer almost feel sorry for him as he struggles to make ends meet and provide child support payments to his ex-wife. You see in one scene just how pitiful Hank’s life is when his daughter is forced to miss an overnight excursion with her friends because Hank can’t afford the $130 hotel cost. Hawke and Hoffman are an absolutely perfect fit together and it’s a shame the pair only teamed up this one time. Hoffman’s slickness and seemingly un-phased demeanor as the near ruthless Andy is a perfect contrast with Hank.
The layout of the story also makes “Devil” stand out. Complete with on screen placards, the story focuses on Hank, Andy, and their father Charles (Albert Finney) one at a time, showing us each what the characters were doing leading up to the robbery, and then their actions in the chaotic aftermath. Like in “Reservoir Dogs” or “4.3.2.1.,” the flashbacks of each character often intersect with one another, giving the viewer multiple perspectives of just what is going through the minds of the players involved.
Anyone who is a fan of gripping thrillers, nonlinear story lines, and otherworldly acting will absolutely love “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.” It’s a great film with replay value, and one that will easily earn a spot on the top shelf of your DVD cabinet.
I was actually depressed when I received word of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death on February 2, 2014 at the age of 46. He was one of the few actors that could draw me into a viewing of any genre of movie simply by his involvement in the picture. In a role where real life imitates art, the secret life and drug habits of Andy Hanson play out in an eerily similar fashion with Hoffman’s own struggles. Hoffman has a certain way about him with each and every line he speaks. He draws the viewer in with an unexplainable charm and charisma, and then proceeds to mesmerize you with effortless ease.
One of the best of all time departed far too soon. Philip Seymour Hoffman will never be forgotten.
by – Matt Christopher
