DVD Review: What Doesn’t Kill You: Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffalo, Amanda Peet, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Goodman, Chris Norr, Alex Wurman, Robert Hoffman: Movies & TV
DVD Review: What Doesn’t Kill You: Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffalo, Amanda Peet, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Goodman, Chris Norr, Alex Wurman, Robert Hoffman: Movies & TV
Amazon.com
Mark Ruffalo is terrific in What Doesn’t Kill You as a South Boston career criminal who since his early teens has done “errands” for the neighborhood crimelord and never considered any other way of making a living. It’s the sort of performance wherein the actor so wholly inhabits the character that his every glance, stride, or hesitation is a glimpse into the guy’s soul, even as the guy is a person of modest intelligence not given to complex self-expression. That’s fascinating to watch (and this may be Ruffalo’s career-best work), but it nudges us toward recognizing the film’s limitations as well as its core strength. What Doesn’t Kill You is an actors’ movie; Brian Goodman, its co-writer and first-time director, is himself an actor and plays the gang boss. Virtually every scene is an occasion for actors to conspire in creating a believable texture of life going on. The cast all repay watching, especially Ethan Hawke as Ruffalo’s lifelong pal and Amanda Peet as the long-suffering wife who seems to have stepped right out of a Southie kitchen. But there’s only the barest outline of a screenplay. We get what every scene is supposed to be about, but they’re mostly pieces of things, indications rather than scenes that flow and build; it’s a little like seeing a feature-length compression of an entire season of The Wire. Although a foreword announces that “the story you are about to see is true,” it’s also a pretty familiar story as crime movies go. So, as a genre entry, What Doesn’t Kill You disappoints, and its flashback structure–after an opening armored-car robbery scene heavy with dire portent–proves to be a bit of a cheat. Yet for all its shortcomings, the film compels sympathy, especially when it finally locates its eminently human heart during the final half-hour. –Richard T. Jameson
Product Description
Brian (Mark Ruffalo) and Paulie (Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke, Best Actor In a Supporting Role for Training Day, 2001) are two lifelong friends who grew up like brothers on the gritty streets of south Boston. They started early as street thugs living by the criminal code, doing petty crimes and misdemeanors that grew increasingly more serious. Eventually they fall under the sway of organized crime boss Pat Kelly (Brian Goodman). As Brian becomes increasingly lost in a haze of drugs and ‘jobs,’ he consistently disappoints his loyal wife (Amanda Peet) and their two sons. Torn between the desire to be a good husband and the lure of easy money, Brian must make the hardest choice of his life.
Environmental influences breeding sociopathy…a true story.,
By J. K. Hinton “Rabid Reader”
(TX USA) -
Mark Ruffalo (Brian) and Ethan Hawke (Paulie) are childhood friends, growing up on the mean-streets of South Boston. Early on, they are overtaken by the path of least resistance toward easy money, through the negative environmental influences surrounding them. They eventually become runners, and, the heavy-hand, for organized crime boss Pat Kelly (Brian Goodman). Sadly, given their surroundings, it became their destiny—’the apple does not fall far from the tree.’
As the viewer you are able to observe these boys evolve from small time crime, to full-blown, risk-taking, men, with little remorse for social misconduct and an aversion toward authority figures. Interestingly, Antisocial Personality Disorders only need to have 3, or more, of 7 traits, and these characters portrayed them all—to perfection. You begin to see neither of them as having any socially redeeming value. Could redemption be possible with such a prognosis?
This film is brilliantly acted, and a textbook portrayal of budding sociopathy and the destruction it creates. If you have interest in dysfunctional personality dynamics, you will really enjoy it. However, some may not, because this is not a high-action film, or one of those bloody, chop-off-fingers types, with nausea inducing, gratuitous violence. Yes, there are some violent scenes, but this film is more of a character study of Brian and Paulie. One examining consequences of choices, and whether or not redemption can be found—if it’s even sought, when there is a rusty moral compass.
Mark Ruffalo is outstanding in this role. The hospital scene, alone, when he is demanding more ‘pain medication,’ and his subsequent behaviors afterward are textbook, drug-seeking, antisocial. I can vouch for this, first hand, as I have been on the receiving end of such tirades, as a health care professional.
Although left with a message of hope for one of the primary characters, the problem I had with this film, was the inability to have much empathy for any of them. Even for Ruffalo’s wife, who functioned as an enabler; a wounded personality, herself. But, I don’t think we were meant to have empathy—perhaps just a better understanding of how some criminals and addicts amongst us are created, with a little window into their mind.
Brian and Paulie’s story did touch a nerve for me, that we need more intervention, better schools and community outreach in neighborhoods such as these—that we as a society keep dropping the ball. When every child isn’t given more opportunities to roll out from under that apple tree, we ALL suffer the negative consequences.
An engrossing thought provoking crime film.,
By Harkanwar Anand (the land of dreamers) -
From the very first time I saw Mark Ruffalo act until the time I saw this film, I had always thought of him to be a below-par actor with limited acting talent who tries to be cute in every film he does. But in this particular film, he surprised me. He plays the very complicated character of Brian almost flawlessly. His best film by some distance. One good thing about the film is the background music, it helps give the film a solid undertone. Fans of the great “Road to perdition” will like this film. What Doesn’t Kill You - will leave the eager and the bored fan alike slightly mesmerized. Ethan Hawke shifts gears and did a great job as the supporting actor playing the energetic Paulie. A confusing title of sorts, this film is well worth a watch.
THOUGHT PROVOKING,
By Baddstuff “music junkie” (astoria, ny United States) -
the review by J. K. Hinton nails it pretty good. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Hawke & Ruffalo are fantastic in their respective roles. These are the kinds of movies I enjoy these days as opposed to the bang bang shoot ‘em up movies that are more about special effects than a good storyline. Some of you reading this may even know people like this. I have no problem recommending this movie, and I do. Well done!
www.electriceyes.us
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