Review of What Doesn't Kill You (2014) by Alysia V — 29 Apr 2009
I honestly knew nothing about this film going into it except that it starred Ethan Hawke & Mark Ruffalo-two very good actors, so I rented it. Turns out, just as I thought, Hawke & Ruffalo turn out two great performances.
Hawke was very believable & hard hitting with his performance & Ruffalo I felt really dug deep with his emotions. Finding out that this is based on true events of the director's life is even more impacting.
It's a raw, crude, gritty film that shows a dark side of life in Boston for these two friends. It's tough to know that life is really like this for some people..I was so pained for "Brian's" (played by Ruffalo) wife, though in the end, I suppose it was worth it that she stuck with him.
That would've been a hard thing to do...I felt sorry for "Paulie" (played by Hawke) who truly believed this was the only life for them..it's all they knew. Getting stuck in that vicious circle.
It was nice to see some redemptive qualities, for "Brian" at least..An understated movie that I had heard nothing about turned out to be quite an impacting, well-acted film.
This review of What Doesn't Kill You (2014) was written by Alysia V on 29 Apr 2009.
What Doesn't Kill You has generally received mixed reviews.
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