IN THEATERS
ON DVD
OTHER
ON TV
TO THEATERS
TO THEATERS
TO DVD
Various comments about Marisa in ‘Before the Devil’ reviews
Posted by Lisa | November 2, 2007
Filed Under: 'Before the Devil', Articles & Reviews | 2 Comments »
Marisa Tomei plays Gina, Andy’s wife, and the nakedness of these three performers, literally and emotionally, makes for a bravura show throughout. There are other performances to esteem in Tomei’s career, such as “Unhook the Stars,” but anyone who sees “Before the Devil…” and says this woman is not a fine, forceful actress is willfully blind or mean. Lumet is also aware of how contrasting the eye-poppingly beautiful Tomei changes the way we look at the more-dowdy-than-usual Hoffman and champion scruff-bucket Hawke.
~ newcitychicago.com
In earlier holiday seasons there might have been preferable depraved fun to be had at “Reindeer Games” and “The Ice Harvest.” But “Before the Devil” has its compelling, insidious and photogenic merits. Marisa Tomei, of course, is the sublimely photogenic asset.
~ washingtontimes.com
The American Dream gets indicted more often than Michael Vick. The noteworthy thing about “Devil,” for certain admirers of Marisa Tomei, is that it’s the greatest Tomei movie ever made, or that could ever be made, outside the auspices of the Spice Channel. It’s Tomei like you’ve never seen her before. Remember Seth Rogen’s proposed business model for a soft-core Web site in “Knocked Up” - FleshOfTheStars.com? It pinpointed the DVD location of every actor’s most notorious nude scene. “Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead” was made for that Web site.
~ philly.com
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is his best movie in decades, featuring superb performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Albert Finney and Marisa Tomei.
~ laist.com
Leave it to Lumet to cast the under-used, under-appreciated and always good Marisa Tomei as the sexpot sleeping with both brothers. It’s a daring part - she spends a lot of time naked, in a role with uncharacteristically harsh edges - but she and Lumet turn it into the kind of showcase that can make casting directors expand their notion of a “Marisa Tomei role.”
~ sfgate.com
Hoffman is married to Marisa Tomei, who just keeps on getting sexier as she grows older so very slowly.
~ rogerebert.suntimes.com
And the two leads get vivid support from the rest of the expert cast. Marisa Tomei, in one of the most surprising performances of her 23-year career, plays Gina as a wounded low-rent beauty with both a heart and a hapless capacity for betrayal.
~ mtv.com
Hoffman’s overbearing Andy and Hawke’s weak-willed Hank are as pathetic as they are different. Andy is a heroin addict and insurance actuary whose embezzlement of company funds is about to be discovered in an audit. Hank, who is having an affair with Andy’s disenchanted wife (a terrific Marisa Tomei), doesn’t earn enough money to make child-support payments.
~ nydailynews.com
…while Tomei — whose character is literally the most exposed, as she’s largely half-nude throughout — makes Gina’s willful, messed-up frustration palpable.
~ premiere.com
More like this...
Heavenly awards potential for Lumet's 'Devil' on October 30th, 2007
'Before the Devil' contest on March 18th, 2008
Interview with Sidney Lumet on October 29th, 2007
Marisa Tomei: One ‘Devil’ of a New Yorker
Posted by Lisa | November 1, 2007
Filed Under: 'Before the Devil', Articles & Reviews | No Comments »
From usatoday.com:
NEW YORK — It’s a convergence of celebrity at Bar Pitti in the West Village.
At one table sits Julianne Moore with husband Bart Freundlich and their two kids (Caleb, 9, and Liv, 5), dining on pasta. And in rushes Marisa Tomei, who heads straight for Moore and gives the redheaded actress a hug. The two chat, and Moore promises to see Tomei’s new off-Broadway play, Oh The Humanity and Other Good Intentions, which starts previews Saturday.Tomei, in fact, has just wrapped up rehearsals for the day. She pledged to herself to do one play a year. “Some years, I keep my promise,” says Tomei, 42.
One reason for her scheduling difficulties? The New York-born-and-bred actress, who won an Oscar for her bitingly funny supporting role as Mona Lisa Vito in 1992’s My Cousin Vinny, has been living in Los Angeles.
“People are devastated when they realize it. I’m supposed to be the patron saint of New York,” Tomei says with a sigh. “I’ve grown up here, and I’m sure I’ll come back, no doubt in my mind, but I wanted to go there for a little bit. I’m loving it. I hang out with friends, go to people’s houses for dinner, the same stuff I did here, at a more relaxed pace.”
More like this...
In case you missed it... on November 12th, 2007
'Devil' gets its due on October 24th, 2007
'Before the Devil' contest on March 18th, 2008
Heavenly awards potential for Lumet’s ‘Devil’
Posted by Lisa | October 30, 2007
Filed Under: 'Before the Devil', Articles & Reviews | No Comments »
An exerpt from an article I found on hollywoodreporter.com:
That elusive combination of boxoffice success, critical enthusiasm and filmmaker cache that translates into prime Oscar and Golden Globes nominations is coming together beautifully in Sidney Lumet’s Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.
With its lively $36,919 average per theater at two screens in New York last weekend via THINKFilm, its very fresh 85% critics’ rating on RottenTomatoes.com and Lumet’s distinguished 50-year-long career in Hollywood, “Devil” has heavenly potential in this wide open awards season. THINKFilm is launching the dark suspense thriller in Los Angeles and five other top markets Friday and will expand its run in the coming weeks.
“Devil” earned a slot on my own developing Top 10 List immediately after I had an early look at the picture. It’s a film that should surface in key awards races — including best picture, director, original screenplay (Kelly Masterson), actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman, a best actor Oscar and Golden Globe winner for “Capote”), supporting actor (Ethan Hawke, a two-time Oscar nominee), supporting actress (Marisa Tomei, a supporting actress Oscar winner for “My Cousin Vinny” and an Oscar and Globe supporting actress nominee for “In the Bedroom”) and original music (Carter Burwell).
More like this...
Expert from an article about Sidney Lumet on November 14th, 2007
When the audience knows you're naked on October 23rd, 2007
In case you missed it... on November 12th, 2007
Interview with Sidney Lumet
Posted by Lisa | October 29, 2007
Filed Under: 'Before the Devil', Articles & Reviews | No Comments »
Randall sent in a link to a great interview with Sidney Lumet. I’m only going to post the parts pertaining to Marisa here but I do recommend reading the whole thing. You can find it here.
You’ve been very fortunate with casting this time, using several great improvisers. How key is that to your process?
Look, I’m a total believer in heady preparation. I rehearse for weeks. These are like theater rehearsals: We get up on our feet on a layout of the set, use props, the works. It’s all for one purpose: so you become so confident - in the part, in the environment, in me - that you feel absolutely free in the moment.Marisa Tomei is especially fearless. And naked. How did you get to that level of comfort with her?
First of all, Marisa arrives full-blown from the head of Zeus; she’s ready to work. Totally. She’s so secure that she’s able to help with the others.How do you mean?
Like with the opening sex scene with Philip. I rarely use sex as a big dramatic device. Here I thought it was critical because you have to understand right away that this is what drives him. But I don’t think Philip has ever conceived of himself in the nude fucking onscreen. It’s just not something that comes his way. So when we started blocking, Marisa hopped up on the bed, got on her hands and knees, slapped her ass and said, “Come on, Philly, let’s go!” I could kiss her. Because if Philip had any inhibitions, they were gone.
More like this...
Marisa Tomei: One 'Devil' of a New Yorker on November 1st, 2007
The Devil's Own Dodo on November 15th, 2007
Marisa Tomei bares her 'Intentions' on October 21st, 2007
« Previous Entries | Next Entries »