Hank (Ethan Hawke) is stressed out by mounting bills and child support, not to mention the affair he’s having with Gina (Marisa Tomei). When his older brother Andy (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) comes up with a fool-proof scheme to make some fast money, a hesitant Hank is finally in. But when the plan – that involves robbing their parents’ jewelry store – goes terribly wrong, the story spins out of control and we’re sucked into the vortex of a climax that is both realistic and riveting. Veteran-icon-director Sidney Lumet delivers a tale with the same ‘nothing was supposed to go wrong’ feel as his classic “Dog Day Afternoon” but with the brooding paranoia of “Serpico.” Marisa Tomei takes a risk in a role as the woman playing the two brothers against each other. If you liked her before, you’ll find there’s a lot more to like about her in this movie. She’s naked alot. Albert Finney delivers a determined and torn performance as the father seeking revenge, while Hawk is a nervous wreck and Hoffman balances them out in cool-calm. All three actors are equally satisfying in their Oscar-worthy performances in a great but horrible scenario. Four tiaras
