Review of Heaven Knows What (2015) by Mark H — 30 May 2015

2 out of 5 stars. There is a gritty subgenre of films about drug addiction that has produced classics like "Midnight Cowboy," "Requiem for a Dream," "Liquid Sky," "Drugstore Cowboy," and "Rush." The opportunity for filmmakers and actors to take characters and situations to the edge of desperation, when handled well, can result in memorable work. Usually the behavior choices are loathsome by some, tragic by others. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion and most people prefer to look away. Even if you cannot relate to the characters, you must care about them for the film to engage the viewer's interest.

"Heaven Knows What" is a new low budget, gritty film about heroin addicts in New York. What's different here is the lead actress, Arielle Holmes, also wrote the book that the film is based on, which is close to her own life. The film has a sociodocumentary feel to it, but is scripted and shot with actors, some with more talent than others. It has the desperate behavior typical of the junkie genre, but not enough plot to hold your interest. With the 90% positive reviews, was expecting to like the film much better. Holmes is good, but she's not enough to sustain the film for 94 minutes when the trapped world with annoying music never really evolves beyond bleak addict despair.