Review of What Doesn't Kill You (2014) by Alex R — 08 Nov 2010

What doesn't Kill is the type of film that has been done many times before, and therefore not that original. However, I found the film to be quite entertaining. I always like films like this, even if What Doesn't Kill you is not that original, it's still pretty good. The reason that the film succeeds in my book is because of the superb acting.

By Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawk. Both are great actors and elevate the somwhat overused story to a watchable film. What Doesn't Kill You is based on the life of first time director Brian Goodman's life of crime, and his struggle to go straight. Even though we've seen this type of film before, it feels totally different and at times original. Obviously the film is not for everyone and you may be disappointed. The fact that it's based on a true story is what seperates this from other films dealing with same subject matter. Though the script lacks originality and good structure, and the film relies almost on cliches, the cast involved makes you forget those flaws. I was so engaged by all the actors that I forgot about it's flaws. What Doesn't Kill You may rely on overused material, but it's still a good story nonetheless. I don't understand why this film has gotten so many bad reviews, It definitely isn't the worst film that I've seen. However, this film can only appeal to a certain type of audience. Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawk make this film better than it really is. A terrific little film, and one that doesn't deserve all the flack that it received. Theres so many films out there that use the same style of plot, and some of them get Critical acclaim (Avatar copied Dances With Wolves and Fern Gulley) People could have said that Avatar was overusing cliches, but no. What Doesn't Kill You is a good film and its far better than what most people have said about it.