Before The Devil Knows You're Dead is about two brothers who decide to rob their parent's business. The story is told in reverse in the first half and then in the more usual linear fashion to its resolution.It's a curious film. It contains sex, nudity, drug taking and violence; all features to suggest mainstream popularity and yet it has the studied look and slow passages of an art house film. I enjoyed the story but only as long as I didn't think too much about the holes in its logic. There are more holes there than in a colander. There were some humorous moments too although I did wonder whether these were intentional or an indication of a film misfiring.
Overall though this was a strangely unsatisfying film for me. The idea was interesting but the execution somehow didn't work as well as I thought it might.
Spoiler alert follows!
Perhaps the problem lies that the final twist, such as there is one, only works so far as you fail to pick the clue that is provided in the meaning of the film's name.
You're just like me when it comes to seeing movies which a lot of my friends don't like. They always say I'm too much of a realist and can never follow a story unless there's logic involved.
ReplyDelete"There are more holes there than in a colander." - love it!