What Doesn't Kill You
Product ID: 9382070
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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. .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
H**G
This is a great autobiography by a former "Irish Mafia" wiseguy that turned his life around from criminal to actor.
I love this movie because it's a great success story written by Brian Goodman - a former strong arm guy that alledgedly worked for the Irish Mafia in South Boston. The crime scenes are probably fictional but similar examples of his real life crime story. Mark Ruffalo did an excellent job playing Brian Goodman in this story while Brian plays the part of the crime boss that he worked for (Whitey Bulger?). Brian is one of the few tough guys that could scare most people he met in the streets - including some cops. That's probably why Donnie Wahlberg played the part of the fearless detective that kept an eye on him like a good tough angel trying to help Brian keep straight and ready to lock him up if he messed up.Brian Goodman is a great power of example to guys like me that grew up on the streets that were often homeless as teens. Many ended up doing time in jail, a house of correction or prison. Brian walked away from that life and became a very good actor - becoming one of many Southie success stories that started out in extreme hardship.Brian - if you ever read this I want you to know I've become a big fan of your work. I got a kick out of the sucker punch Ruffalo gave the off-duty detective (Donnie Wahlberg) in this movie - it reminded me of something you said to me on the phone back in the 90's when you called the District 6 and yelled at me for knocking on the door in the high-rise many years ago while looking to talk to you about a legal process. You might remember that I laughed at that and never held it against you - because I grew up like you and didn't fear anyone either. Many of the words we spoke in real life were repeated between Ruffalo and Wahlberg in the movie - leading me to wonder if I had the honor of another great Dorchester guy (Donnie Wahlberg) to play my part in your movie. In the movie Ruffalo and Walberg had a talk - and that was probably the first time your character realized that cop was looking out for you and your family just like he did for many others in Southie. Brian, I admire you for your great turn around - you made yourself into an outstanding man worthy of my respect. Congrats!Sgt A.PS: Please tell Donnie Wahlberg he's a great tv cop and that if he was portraying me that he did a great job. Please tell him that I suggest he take up Ju Jitsu - and use that in his movies instead of punching everyone. You can easily deliver more pain and compliance without any blood.PS2: I Got a kick out of my name being used for the corrupt male judge that wore bra and panties in your 3rd episode of Rizzoli and Isles last year. If you ever run out of ideas for that show - contact me...
D**R
Either a sad happy ending or a happy sad ending...
A gritty tale, it kept my attention. There's always a chance to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Very good acting by all...
M**S
Yes another So Boston Film..However this one is a well constructed and True Story
Well Written Acted and Will not add spoilers ?I will tell you its a movie that may stay with you a few days.
S**M
Boston
One if the best crime stories I’ve watched lately. Hawke/Ruffalo were terrific. A must see
P**K
Decent Movie But......
Am I the only one that noticed the only season over a period of years was winter? In one scene there is snow, in the next, none, then more snow, then no snow. They leave a place in the city, snow, get to another place in the city, no snow. Saw this over a dozen times. Also, 5 years supposedly went by when they were in prison. Before 5 years, snow, after 5 years, same snow and no one has aged one month but the kids are all grown up!
K**2
Totally satified
Excellent Ruffalo film. Prompt delivery, too.
M**N
Escaping the Crime Ridden Ways of the Old Hood
Two longtime tight friends work their South Boston neighborhood with shake downs, rip-offs of local businesses, partnering with drug dealers, robbing delivery trucks and occasionally taking an armored car or two as a means of supporting their go-nowhere lifestyles; a seedy existence of drinking, free-basing and casual sexual encounters with various women, we witness a change in course, at least for one of the friends. The first ten minutes of the movie were extremely violent with several graphic crimes depicted...I seriously considered turning it off as I wasn't really up for another meaningless violence-filled movie. Glad I didn't as halfway through....the trajectory of the film begins to change and we see a deepening of character in the friends particularly in one after some forced time of introspection. Half expecting something like "Good Fellows," the story's ending will surprise you, possibly inspire you. Based on a true story...this film is well worth the watch!
M**E
👍
All good
D**P
Boston Streets [Blu-ray]
de jeunes voyous et leur choix de vie....très bon film sur la drogue, l'alcool, et les choses qui comptent vraiment....VF OK
N**A
meisterwerk
.die geschichte handelt von 2 kleinkriminellen die sich schon seit ihrer kindheit zusammen durschlagen und ein ding nach den anderen drehen um im harten alltag in boston über die runden zu kommen.nach einer plötlzichen verhaftung wegen diebstahl und 5 jahre gefängniss fragt sich einer der beiden ob der lebensweg den er geht wirklich der richtige ist.der film erzählt auf nüchterde weise das harte leben in den grosstädten der usa auf,gesellschaftkritik steht im film an erster stelle.der film ist rau und kommt auch ohne das typische gangstergehabe oder colle sprüche aus die man ja sonst so aus amerikanischen kinofilm so kennt.untermalt wird der film dann noch von einen super soundtrack.absolut sehenswert
R**N
Top movie
Found it hard to get in shops, great price and fast delivery
B**Z
Boston Streets
Tolle Film und einfach super und lohnt sich zu kaufen
S**Y
Foncez à BOSTON STREETS
ça fait du bien de re-voir ou de découvrir des petits bijoux comme BOSTON STREETSUn film qui vous fera aimez le VRAI cinéma . Ethan Hawke & Mark Ruffalo sont bluffants !
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