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Great visuals, story delivers no surprises

Brilliant and touching

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

"What Doesn't Kill You" is apparently based on the life of the writer/director of the film, Brian Goodman. I assume the character Brian Reilly (Mark Ruffalo) in the film is supposed to be Goodman.The first 80% of the film is unpleasant....you should be aware of this. It follows the low-life exploits of Brian and his pal, Paulie (Ethan Hawke). When I say exploits, I mostly mean criminal behaviors as the pair were apparently low-level hoods in Boston years ago. Their crimes included mostly shakedowns as well as drug use...but they even were involved in the kidnapping...of a dog! Because their actions were so violent and selfish, I really disliked this film...and it wasn't until later in the picture, when Brian got tired of the life, that it became interesting and involved me. The bottom line is that the movie is very well made and the acting quite nice. It's just that wading through the awfulness of Brian and Paulie's lives...that takes a lot of patience. If you stick with it, you will, fortunately, be rewarded.

Brian and Paulie have been buddies since childhood.They have to be tough if they wanna survive in the streets of South Boston.The local crime boss takes them under his wings.Brian becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol, which causes some friction between his wife and two young sons.The writer and director of What Doesn't Kill You (2008) is Brian Goodman.It's based on his own story.Mark Ruffalo is terrific as Goodman's alter ego, Brian Reilly.Ethan Hawke is amazing as Paulie McDougan.Amanda Peet is superb as Stacy Reilly.Will Lyman is very good as Sully.Goodman himself gives a marvelous portrayal of Pat Kelly.NKOTB's Donnie Wahlberg does great job as Detective Moran.Donnie was also writing the movie.Angela Fearstone plays Katie.Edward Lynch is Jackie.Lindsey McKeon plays the part of Nicole.Dramatically this movie works in many places.The relationship portrayed between Brian and his wife is one of the working material.What also works is the character development.There is also some harsh realism portrayed in this movie.It doesn't glamorize the lifestyle the people are living here.It doesn't give you a message it's good to be a hood, or the drugs work.It's saying that once you're living that lifestyle, it's better to get out of it.As soon as possible.

Paulie and Brian, two would be wise guys living in South Boston, are seen as teenagers working on petty deals for the area's boss, Pat Kelly. They just act as gofers, while learning their profession. The two grow up into full time criminals. Paulie is the strongest of the two. Brian, who marries his sweetheart, Stacy, is more of a follower. There is a strong bond between these two men.Pursuing a career in crime did not come easy for the duo. When Brian turns into drugs, he begins a spiral road that will get him and his partner in jail for something that goes wrong; they must pay for what they did. In prison, Brian meets Sully, a former alcoholic, who is now an advocate for staying clean and sober. Trying to get even with a pedophile, both men get into a lot of trouble just a few days before they are to be released. Paulie, knowing Brian needs to go home to his family takes the blame and stays behind for his bad conduct.Paulie has always been dead set against trying to rob armored vehicles. The way he figures, it is a crime that must be done in daylight, the odds are against the perpetrators, so he stays clear away from this type of action. Brian, now a free man, suffers from a lack of a job, not being able to make ends meet for Stacy and his sons. When Paulie proposes for him to go along, the allure of money weighs heavily on his situation, but he reckons, at last, his family is worth more to him now than whatever he can get out of the deal.This is an interesting crime film directed by Brian Goodman, an actor that is making his debut with the film. Mr. Goodman also wrote the screenplay with Donnie Wahlberg and Paul Murray, which we are told is based on a true story. "What Doesn't Kill You" has a look of older films of the genre. The Boston in which the story takes place is in the middle of a bad winter making it look bleak and miserable just to be out on those snowed streets. What Mr. Goodman accomplished was an ensemble piece which does not disappoint, in spite of minor flaws that can easily be overlooked. Chris Norr, the cinematographer takes us to places that movies do not dare to go. The incidental music is by Alex Wurman.Ethan Hawke and Mark Ruffalo match one another perfectly. It is clear to see the bond Paulie and Brian had all their lives. Mr. Hawke has the flashier part as Paulie, but do not be too hasty to discard Mr. Ruffalo's contribution to the film with his take on Brian. Mr. Ruffalo proves why he is one of the best actors of his generation, bar none. Amanda Peet has a good opportunity to shine with her Stacy. There are surprises in the supporting roles, Mr. Goodman, the director, being one of them as the crime boss Pat Kelly. Will Lyman is also excellent as Sully, the man that wants to sincerely help Brian find his way, and Donnie Wahlberg is seen as a detective that knows what Paulie and Brian are made of.

Time for "yet another cliché" time: They say "what doesn't kill you" makes you stronger. Well, the crime drama "What Doesn't Kill You" makes me "yawn"der. Not to say that I do not commend Director Brian Goodman's bravado & courageous attempt to orchestrate a film narrative based on his real-life crime & alcoholic ridden past in the streets of South Boston. However, I was sporadically bored with some misfires of "What Doesn't Kill You". Mark Ruffalo stars as Brian Reilly, the character which Goodman's past is based on. Let's say that the Reilly Factor is surrounded with: drug dealing & consuming, drunken binges, theft & larceny, adultery, and a few more "no-no" misbehaviors. The Life of Brian also consists of a beautiful & impatient wife, two innocent young songs, and Brian's partner in crime: his childhood best friend Paulie. Brian & Paulie got into being Boston Ruins already as teenagers when they started working for crime boss Pat Kelly, and it gradually spurned into a profound life of constant crime into adulthood by standing pat in continuing to work for Kelly. Brian did pick up a family along the way and Paulie picked up loose women along the way. Paulie also want a cracker? Yes, due to all the narcotic dealings Paulie scammed up in the streets of South Boston. Nevertheless, the main character & plot gun of "What Doesn't Kill You" is Brian with his constant struggle to fight the ill pills of crime & alcoholism in order to be faithful to his wife and supportive to his sons. Even through jail terms and being shot three times to near mortality, Brian still has much trouble resisting the life of Crime Brian because it is all he has ever known. Ruffalo was very effective as Brian Reilly, and Ethan Hawke was in par with Ruffalo with his killer performance as Paulie. Would of have loved to see more of Donnie Wahlberg's stellar work as Detective Moran, Goodman underdeveloped that pivotal character. Amanda Peet was moderately impressive as Brian's wife Stacy, and Brian Goodman himself was a good man acting playing the shady character Pat Kelly. However, Goodman was not so good in directing too many repetitive overwrought scenes that did not move the story in any revelatory method, and should have been charged with second-degree cinematic robbery by stealing similar dialogue from other crime-drama genre films. In his defense though, Goodman is a novice filmmaker and shows promise & potential that what doesn't kill him in the movie industry will make him a stronger director. Goodman just a few years ago was in prison, so it is a tremendous accomplishment in the life change he has endured and also in bringing it to film; so one has to admire that "Goodman Redemption" resilient quality. It will not kill you to witness "What Doesn't' Kill You" but it will not make you cinematically stronger. *** Average