Heaven Knows What

Heaven Knows What, will not appeal to the majority of casual moviegoers. Likewise, I have no doubts regarding the film's remarkable achievement.

Heaven Knows What isn’t interested in merely exploring the world of New York City addicts. It wants to make their experiences felt, with the dissonant, amp-cracking roar of a punk anthem.

Heaven Knows What is a hard movie to recommend because of its unrelenting intensity and hideously depressing subject. It's a hard movie, period, but it's exceptionally well-made and beautiful in its execution.

Holmes may not have the polished technique of a formally trained actress, but she has an innate capacity for drama, and whether or not she can go on to play roles further removed from her own experience, she’s electrifying in this one.

The Safdie brothers capture a density of activity as endemic to the city as it is to Harley’s daily hustle. By tapping into her routines, instead of framing her along solely tragic lines, the filmmakers fashion a diary of experience that’s all the more absorbing.

Alas, the main thing that comes through in Heaven Knows What is that a junkie’s life is really, really monotonous.

The novelty of having a real homeless junkie play a version of herself drives Heaven Knows What, a gritty hand-held character portrait of heroin addict life in New York today.

I liked it. Kinda slow pacing. Not a clear story line. More like looking into the life of a homeless person for a few days.

"Heaven Knows What" é um filme muito estranho e confuso, mas ainda assim interessante. 7/10

Homeless and drug addiction, with the backdrop of a little romance. This film reminds me the Al Pacino's 'The Panic in Needle Park'. The independent filmmakers Safdie brothers directed it that inspired by the real life story of Arielle Holmes, who also starred in the lead role. This is definitely a depressing film, seeing those faces, eyes, makes sick. But a very realistic film, kind of aimless plot, till the final quarter and then with a small twist, the tale comes to an end. I have seen it and if you ask me about the story, I say its hard to describe, but it can be only watched like a documentary film. Over ninety minutes, the film revealed the life of homeless people. Like from their day beginning to the nightfall, how they make it and their preferences. So it is not an inspiring film, though at least there's something you can learn about them. After knowing the theme, I thought there would be lots of violence like ****, stealing, cops and maybe killing. Surprisingly, it was none of those, not exactly, except drug addiction and sometimes stealing to buy drugs. Looks like from this film, the actress got a breakthrough, particularly in her life. I hope its turnover from hereon. I appreciate the directors for that who made a difference in someone's life. Don't think it is a film for entertainment, watch it if you are interested in the documentary film. So it's not for everybody, but some will find it good or maybe decent. 6/10

You've got to be prepared for what this movie is before going in. There's not some clear narrative direction to it - you're essentially following a woman and her cohorts as they're trying to score heroin and live their lives. It feels highly authentic, but it's not exactly entertaining, if that's what you're going for. It reminds me of Harmony Korine's films, notably Kids and Gummo. The lead "actress" is pretty amazing to watch, and her real life story is probably fodder for an excellent documentary.

I have a true passion for heroin culture. This started when I was around 8 years old. Perhaps best to discuss this with my shrink but nonetheless I was very excited to see HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT, a grungy real tale of heroin addiction on the contemporary streets of NYC. Unfortunately, HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT is all cold examination, no depth or insights. A lot of screaming. I was drawn in but left cold and empty. If only that were intentional.