What Doesn't Kill You (2008)

Director:

Brian Goodman

Writers:

Brian Goodman (writer)
Paul T. Murray (writer)

Release Date:

10 September 2009 (Portugal)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Everyone has a choice. Every choice has a consequence.

Plot:

Two childhood friends from South Boston turn to crime as a way to get by, ultimately causing a strain in their personal lives and their friendship.

Plot Keywords:

Boston | Friendship | Letter | Murder | Boston Massachusetts

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Mark Ruffalo	...	Brian Reilly
Ethan Hawke	...	Paulie McDougan
Amanda Peet	...	Stacy Reilly
Will Lyman	...	Sully
Brian Goodman	...	Pat Kelly
Donnie Wahlberg	...	Detective Moran
Angela Featherstone	...	Katie
Edward Lynch	...	Jackie (as Eddie Lynch)
Michael Yebba	...	Roundman / Old Lady
Brian Connolly	...	Sean
Nathaniel Smyth	...	Mark (5 Years Old)
Oscar Wahlberg	...	Mark (10 Years Old)
Thomas Regan	...	Young Paulie
Jean-Pierre Serret	...	Young Brian
George Khoury	...	Delivery Man

Also Known As:

Real Men Cry (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, drug use, some violence and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:18A (Toronto International Film Festival) | Singapore:M18 | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Battleplan Productions

Trivia:

The movie is based on Brian Goodman's own life up to the mid 1990s.

Soundtrack:

Buzzard Luck

Wow!, best film this year so far.

It's not often you come across a film that just blows you away, this film does it all on every level.

An Oscar winning performance by far for Mark Ruffalo, not a name I instantly new but a face I recognized from somewhere.

His decent into a drug riddled alcoholic existence is a heartfelt performance that shines the brightest in this movie. The visual torment he goes through trying to improve his families financial crisis mostly brought about by his own criminal activities, drug and alcohol abuse is without doubt a blistering performance and a testament to his skills as an actor.

Ethan Hawke, yet another solid supporting role that is only diminished by the screen presence of Ruffalo, but some how still manages to make an impact has a sex-addicted low-life that brings so much to the story and his relationship with Ruffalo's character.

As for Brian Goodman, well again a face I definitely knew from his bad-ass performance as Ryan Price in the TV-Show 'Lost', takes a small but pivotal role in his own penned story.

But it's the role of Director that he truly shows us a master-craft performance, there's no rush here, a perfect balance of character building and story telling. Allowing the characters to come alive and carry the story forward in their own time. Mr Goodman it seems is a man of many talents - Writer, Actor and Director - all I can say is, in this film all of them worked in perfect harmony.

Watch it now, you won't regret it..