...Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

I love this traditional Irish toast, which also happens to be the title of an amazing movie.  The full toast goes as follows, "May you be in Heaven a half hour before the Devil knows you're dead."

The movie, which is directed by Sidney Lumet (none of whose movies I have seen before, surprisingly).  The movie can be described as a suspense thriller or a melodrama depending on whether you ask the actors or the director.  The thing that really struck me about this movie is how it positions two different characters at different places in their lives at the same point of absolute desperation.  The common connection (besides being brothers) is that they are both driven to extreme measures to solve financial problems.  The plot follows two brothers who out of financial need decide to rob their parents jewelry store.  When things go wrong and their mother is killed their father resolves to find those who committed the crime.  That is the same type of summary you would read on the back of the movie so I didn't give anything major away.  To me the title suggests that hope that you stay just one step ahead of the "devil" who I this case is the raging father.  However, after watching the movie I'm more convinced that one of the brothers is the real devil.  The real devil is not the one who is on our heels chasing us, but the one who is manipulating us to do his work for his benefit.