SummaryBrian and Paulie are friends who grew up like brothers on the gritty streets of south Boston. They do whatever it takes to survive, living by the code of their dog-eat-dog neighborhood. Petty crimes and misdemeanors grow into more serious offenses and eventually, they fall under sway to organized crime boss Pat Kelly. As Brian becomes increasingl... Read More
Directed By:Brian Goodman
Written By:Brian Goodman, Paul T. Murray, Donnie Wahlberg
What Doesn't Kill You
Metascore
Generally Favorable
71
User score
Mixed or Average
5.9
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
71
90% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
10% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
With Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke registering personal bests in the performance category as well as playing magnificently and ultraconvincingly off each other, What Doesn't Kill You, a true story that is powerful and completely riveting from beginning to end.
83
A tough, authentic street drama born, bred, and shot in the no-spin zone of working-class South Boston.
80
It tells a good story well, and in the process quietly says a little something about what it means to look at the American dream from the bottom up.
75
Like "The Departed" and "Gone Baby Gone," What Doesn't Kill You is an engrossing, gritty, sharply written and well-acted drama set on the mean streets of South Boston.
70
It is worth seeking out for a brutally honest, achingly realistic, and emotionally compelling look at the other side of petty crime – the slow, painful path to legitimacy.
63
This is a rare case of a movie that improves dramatically as it goes along.
40
Goodman's movie tends to limp along.
User score
Mixed or Average
5.9
43% Positive
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
43% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
14% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Feb 22, 2013
6
This was a pretty intense movie, but it felt as though as I watching it in fast forward. What Doesn't Kill You is the story of two brothers, who grow up in poverty and whom turned to organized crime to survive. For fifteen years, they did what they were told, but with the boss on his way to prison, they decide to go off on their own. Admittedly, it's a tremendous story that follows the paths of these brothers over the course of the next few years, the problem was that in this movie, years translate into about 10 minute intervals. Instead of giving us a complete and accurate portrayal, the director decided to cut the story into small fragments, usually no longer than a minute or two. Something is said, something happens, and then were on to another something, when? where? who knows!? The movie moved so fast and was so choppy, that it left my head spinning. Despite the confusion, it was pretty entertaining and Mark Ruffalo gives an unbelievable performance. Here's another example **** I've seen around, never thought much of, who randomly shows up in a B-movie and just makes the whole film worth watching. If you're able to keep up, and this movie doesn't confuse you into an absolute stupor, it's not bad. The story is solid, the cast is good, and it has it's moments, but again only if you can get passed the ridiculous pace the director has decided to set for us.
Nov 28, 2021
5
This film has a good cast and a semi decent plot but it was just so depressing. There are many similar films, with similar plots and its not especially memorable, I'd say. Mark Ruffalo and Ethan Hawke do alright, certainly not bad - their performances seemed pretty solid, just I didn't think it was any better than ok frankly. The action sequences aren't particularly great - not bad either. This is very much an ok film. I wouldn't go out of your way to see this as such, no.
