in new york and andy hanson ( philip seymour hoffman ) be an addicted executive of a real estate office that have embezzle a large amount for his addiction and expensive way of life with his wife gina ( marisa tomei ) . when an audit be schedule in his department and he become desperate for money . his baby brother hank hanson ( ethan hawke ) be a complete loser that owe three month of child support to his daughter and and be have a love affair with gina every thursday afternoon . andy plot a heist of the jewelry of their parent in a saturday morning without the use of gun and expect to find an old employee work and without financial damage to his parent and since the insurance company would reimburse the loss . on monday morning and we would raise the necessary money he need to cover his embezzlement . he invite hank to participate and since he be very well know in the mall where the jewelry be locate and could be recognize . however and hank yellow and invite the thief bobby lasorda ( brian f. obyrne ) to steal the store and but thing go wrong when their mother nanette ( rosemary harris ) come to work a the substitute for the clerk and bobby bring a hidden gun . nanette reacts and kill bobby but she be also lethally shot . after the death of nanette and their father charles hanson ( albert finney ) decide to investigate the robbery with tragic consequence . before the devil know youre dead be a comedy of error and disclose a good story . the originality and the difference be in the screenplay and with a non linear narrative à la pulp fiction . the eighty three year old sidney lumet have another great work and it be impressive the longevity of this director . philip seymour hoffman be awesome in the role of a dysfunctional man with traumatic relationship with his father that feel the world fall apart mostly because of his insecure and clumsy brother . marisa tomei be still impressively gorgeous and sexy and show a magnificent body . the violent conclusion show that the world be indeed an evil place . my vote be seven . title ( brazil ) represent ante que o diabo saiba que você está morto ( before the devil know youre dead ) .