Find Me Guilty (2006)

3/5

Sidney Lumet's Find Me Guilty is a fairly mediocre comedy/courtroom procedural. It's a novel mix of the two genres, but nothing particularly interesting or fascinating. I don't know what you'd get out of the film that's new in any way, but there were some funny moments, some tender ones, and some very exciting ones as well. Based on a true story, the plot follows Jackie DiNorscio as an underling in a huge mafia crime syndicate, on trial defending himself, as well as the rest of the family. There aren't that many twists and turns, so the basic premise is all that you get. If that doesn't sound appealing to you, the movie as a whole probably won't either. The real revelation in this movie is Vin Diesel. He takes on his character fully and makes him real, as well as likable. His stellar acting here makes me forget the quality of work he's been in before. The cinematography and editing are excellent, as in every Lumet film, but the other technical aspects are fairly forgettable. Enjoy if you wish, although you won't miss much if you decide not to check it out.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419749/

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

3/5

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is a flawlessly realized melodrama thriller, but the technical mastery Sidney Lumet has over the medium does not save the movie from its absolutely ridiculous story. It is about two brothers who need money; naturally they plot a robbery of their own parents' jewelry store. Something goes wrong, and the rest of the movie deals with the aftereffects of their grievous error in judgment. By the end of the movie, when everyone's life had spiraled wildly out of control and every character has made irreversible mistakes, I got up and left the theater in a hurry. Why? Because it was so spectacularly unbelievable. And I mean Snakes on a Plane unbelievable, accentuated even more so by the relative normalcy that preceded it. The characters morph from seemingly intelligent men to brainless psychopaths. These characters are not real; they are preposterous caricatures. I cannot fathom their thought processes or their motivations. But apparently other people could.

If you can deal with the single hang-up that I had about the movie (namely the poppycock masquerading as characters and plot), you will probably fall in love with it. Because the movie is technically brilliant. Sidney Lumet really is at a high point cinematically (albeit an extreme low point fictionally). The nonlinear storytelling was powerful, adding depth and tension to a rather simple story. It tantalizes you by giving you what you want in measured amounts, like a calculating drug dealer. I guess that's not a great analogy, but it works. The acting is awesome. They really make the insane characters seem insane. But seriously, the emotions on display were raw and real, and props go out to all the actors. I hope you see it if you find it interesting, because it seems I'm in the minority regarding my disbelief of characters and plot. Be your own judge.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0292963/