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Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

R
Genre: Drama, Thriller
In Theaters:
3.5

Note: The story is explained here in its chronological order, rather than the way it unfolds in the film.

Andy Hanson, is a finance executive who, facing an upcoming audit, is in desperate need of money to cover funds he embezzled from his employer. His brother Hank, needs money to pay child support or his ex-wife will cut him out of his daughter's life. Andy devises a plan to rob their parents' jewelry store, which Hank reluctantly agrees to. Andy argues that he cannot go himself because he has been in the neighborhood recently, and could therefore be recognized. They assume that only Doris, an elderly woman who works for their parents, will be in the store. Andy states that only a toy gun is needed and that it is a victimless crime, because insurance will repay their parents for the stolen items.

Without consulting Andy, Hank hires Bobby Lasorda, an acquaintance who is an experienced thief, to help him in the robbery. Bobby decides he will commit the robbery himself using a gun; Hank just needs to wait in the car. The brothers' mother Nanette happens to be in the store herself filling in for Doris. The robbery goes awry when Nanette pulls a hidden gun on Bobby, causing a shootout. Hank flees the scene after seeing Bobby shot to death. Nanette enters a vegetative state, dying a week later in the hospital after her husband Charles agrees to take her off life support. Charles, unsatisfied with the police's help, decides to investigate on his own, and becomes obsessed with finding the other criminal.

Hank finds himself fixing his problems while Andy only chastises him for the botched robbery. After removing evidence he had left in the rented car he used for the robbery, Hank is confronted by Bobby's brother-in-law Dex who demands financial compensation for Bobby's death to provide for his sister, Chris, Bobby's widow.

Hank has secretly been having an affair with Andy's wife, Gina, who has been unsatisfied with her relationship to Andy. Gina reveals this to Andy at the point of leaving him. Upon hearing of Dex's blackmail, Andy decides to fix the situation with Hank by robbing Andy's drug dealer. Once at the dealer's apartment, they overpower the dealer and steal his money. Hank is then shocked when Andy murders the dealer and a client who happened to be present. The brothers then go to pay off Dex, but Andy impulsively kills him for fear of blackmailing them further. Andy appears ready to kill Chris when Hank objects, warning Andy that he will have to kill Hank before Hank will let him kill Chris. Andy turns the gun on Hank, revealing that he knows about Hank and Gina's relationship. Before Andy can pull the trigger, Chris shoots him with her brother's gun. Hank leaves his brother and some of the money before fleeing.

Charles had been following his sons, having discovered that Andy was involved in the robbery. Andy is moved to a hospital where Charles visits him. Andy feebly apologizes to his estranged father for everything, explaining Nanette's death to be an accident. Charles accepts his apology. Charles then attaches Andy's heart monitor to himself, before proceeding to suffocate his son with a pillow, killing him. As medical staff rush to Andy's aid, Charles leaves.

Director:

Sidney Lumet
Screenplay: Kelly Masterson
Studio: Others
DVD Release: 2008-04-15 00:00:00.0
Tagline: No one was supposed to get hurt.
Synopsis

Note: The story is explained here in its chronological order, rather than the way it unfolds in the film.

Andy Hanson, is a finance executive who, facing an upcoming audit, is in desperate need of money to cover funds he embezzled from his employer. His brother Hank, needs money to pay child support or his ex-wife will cut him out of his daughter's life. Andy devises a plan to rob their parents' jewelry store, which Hank reluctantly agrees to. Andy argues that he cannot go himself because he has been in the neighborhood recently, and could therefore be recognized. They assume that only Doris, an elderly woman who works for their parents, will be in the store. Andy states that only a toy gun is needed and that it is a victimless crime, because insurance will repay their parents for the stolen items.

Without consulting Andy, Hank hires Bobby Lasorda, an acquaintance who is an experienced thief, to help him in the robbery. Bobby decides he will commit the robbery himself using a gun; Hank just needs to wait in the car. The brothers' mother Nanette happens to be in the store herself filling in for Doris. The robbery goes awry when Nanette pulls a hidden gun on Bobby, causing a shootout. Hank flees the scene after seeing Bobby shot to death. Nanette enters a vegetative state, dying a week later in the hospital after her husband Charles agrees to take her off life support. Charles, unsatisfied with the police's help, decides to investigate on his own, and becomes obsessed with finding the other criminal.

Hank finds himself fixing his problems while Andy only chastises him for the botched robbery. After removing evidence he had left in the rented car he used for the robbery, Hank is confronted by Bobby's brother-in-law Dex who demands financial compensation for Bobby's death to provide for his sister, Chris, Bobby's widow.

Hank has secretly been having an affair with Andy's wife, Gina, who has been unsatisfied with her relationship to Andy. Gina reveals this to Andy at the point of leaving him. Upon hearing of Dex's blackmail, Andy decides to fix the situation with Hank by robbing Andy's drug dealer. Once at the dealer's apartment, they overpower the dealer and steal his money. Hank is then shocked when Andy murders the dealer and a client who happened to be present. The brothers then go to pay off Dex, but Andy impulsively kills him for fear of blackmailing them further. Andy appears ready to kill Chris when Hank objects, warning Andy that he will have to kill Hank before Hank will let him kill Chris. Andy turns the gun on Hank, revealing that he knows about Hank and Gina's relationship. Before Andy can pull the trigger, Chris shoots him with her brother's gun. Hank leaves his brother and some of the money before fleeing.

Charles had been following his sons, having discovered that Andy was involved in the robbery. Andy is moved to a hospital where Charles visits him. Andy feebly apologizes to his estranged father for everything, explaining Nanette's death to be an accident. Charles accepts his apology. Charles then attaches Andy's heart monitor to himself, before proceeding to suffocate his son with a pillow, killing him. As medical staff rush to Andy's aid, Charles leaves.

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