Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Andy Hanson, portrayed by [Philip Seymour Hoffman], is a finance executive on the brink of disaster, as he scrambles for cash to recover the funds he misappropriated from his company to fuel his drug addiction, especially with an audit looming near. His brother Hank, played by someone not listed in the cast information, finds himself in dire straits too, needing money to cover child support to prevent his ex-wife, played by Amy Ryan, from stripping him of access to his daughter. Desperate for a solution, Andy concocts a scheme to rob their parents’ jewelry store, a plan that Hank begrudgingly goes along with.

Andy insists that he cannot participate in the heist himself due to his recent presence in the area, arguing that they will be safe since only the elderly clerk is expected to be there. He complacently believes that using a toy gun makes it a victimless crime, as their parents’ insurance would compensate them for the loss. However, Hank makes a pivotal decision without Andy’s knowledge and enlists a colleague, Bobby Lasorda—portrayed by Brian F. O’Byrne—an experienced criminal, to assist in the job. The plan quickly spirals out of control when their mother, Nanette, played by Rosemary Harris, is unexpectedly in the store, leading to a violent shootout triggered by her pulling a concealed firearm on Bobby.

In the chaos, Hank watches in horror as Bobby is killed, prompting him to flee the scene. Tragically, Nanette later succumbs to her injuries in the hospital, after their father Charles, portrayed by [Albert Finney], chooses to take her off life support. Devastated and unsatisfied with the police’s investigation, Charles becomes determined to seek justice, as he suspects that one of the robbers still lurks free.

As the story unfolds, Hank wrestles with the aftermath of the robbery, while Andy only berates him for the ensuing complications. During a critical moment of panic, Hank encounters Bobby’s brother-in-law, Dex (played by Michael Shannon), who threatens him for financial reparation for Bobby’s demise, adding further tension to an already precarious situation. Meanwhile, Hank has been entangled in a secret affair with Gina, Andy’s wife, portrayed by Marisa Tomei, who reveals her discontent in her marriage.

Amid all this turmoil, Andy concocts a plan to remedy their problems by robbing his drug dealer. However, this descent into violence does not end there; after a tense confrontation, Andy kills both the dealer and a witness, spiraling further into their criminal abyss. Hank, horrified, protests Andy’s extreme measures, especially when Andy suggests that Chris, Bobby’s widow, must also be eliminated. In a shocking turn, Hank’s life hangs by a thread as Andy, now paranoid, turns on him, revealing he knows about Hank and Gina’s affair.

Yet, just as the brothers face off, Chris heroically shoots Andy in an act of desperate self-defense. Hank escapes with a daunting weight of guilt and cash, while Charles, having stalked his sons leading up to this moment, comprehends the harrowing truth behind the robbery. This culminates in a chilling encounter at the hospital where Charles, after a brief reconciliation with Andy, attacks him in a fit of rage before leaving him for dead.

In a powerful and haunting conclusion, Charles sacrifices his own son, bringing this tragic tale full circle as the medical staff rush in, oblivious to the sinister crime that just transpired.

Last Updated: November 16, 2024 at 12:25