Review: What Doesn't Kill You (2008)

[Scott Mendelson]

What Doesn't Kill You
2008
100 minutes
rated R

By Scott Mendelson

What Doesn't Kill You is a movie that at times feels like a remake of
countless other films. It is yet another biographical story of a lower-
class Boston family and the problems with falling into a life of
crime. But, as Roger Ebert always says, it's not what it's about but
how it's about it. The film overcomes the déjà vu with uncommonly
strong acting, and a low-key realism that provides a stronger
emotional response by refusing to delve into melodrama.

A bit of plot - This film is the allegedly autobiographical story of
writer/director Brian Goodman. Brian and Paulie (Mark Ruffalo and
Ethan Hawke) are best friends, having grown up on the south side
Boston. As happens to all too many in that area, they eventually turn
to a life of petty crime, as a means to scrape by. While Paulie is a
wild-eyed and somewhat hardened criminal, Brian is attempting to make
a life that includes his wife (Amanda Peet) and their children.
However, set backs and unexpected developments threaten to derail
Brian's attempt to leave the life behind and earn the respect of his
children.

As is often the case, Mark Ruffalo's naturalism raises this movie to a
higher level, to something outside of cliché. For the last several
years, he's excelled at grounding the various romantic comedies he's
starred in, be they good (13 Going On 30) or bad (Rumor Has It). His
general dramatic work has given an extra shot of credibility to
otherwise fine pictures (Zodiac, You Can Count On Me). He is one of
the few actors that automatically makes a movie better just by
appearing in it. This is the closest thing he's had to star vehicle
and he does not waste the opportunity. This is an Oscar worthy
performance and one of the very best of the year.

This is not to say that the rest of the cast does not hold up. Ethan
Hawke again does solid supporting work. Ironically, this is the second
Ethan Hawke movie in a row (after the brutally intense Before The
Devil Knows You're Dead) that opens with a seemingly botched robbery
and then proceeds to flashback to the beginning). Amanda Peet also has
a natural grief that honors the material. She is heartbreaking as she
watches her relatively decent husband struggle to be reliable and
trust worthy despite the obstacles in his way. Even the kids who play
Brian's children have a few moments worth noting, especially a late
scene where Brian asks his older son what he has to do to win back his
respect (the answer is devastating in its simplicity and as a study of
low expectations).

The other thing that makes this picture stand out is the last third of
the film, which deals not with the clichés of crime and thuggery, but
with the near impossible task of rebuilding a life after a stint in
the pen. Brian and Paulie both end up in prison, and Brian's daunting
attempt to redeem himself, and make a live for his family, is
heartbreaking in its blunt bleakness. This is relatively uncharted
territory for bottom of the food chain crime dramas, and this portion
is genuinely fascinating and compelling. What Doesn't Kill You doesn't
chart that much new territory in its first two acts, but a relatively
original third act makes the film worth seeing as a story.

Story telling aside, the film is still filled with terrific, low-key
performances that make the movie, at the very least, an acting treat.
Ruffalo is always worth watching, as he's quickly becoming one of my
very favorite actors. Amanda Peet gets meatier material than she's had
in awhile and Ethan Hawke is solid too. Donnie Wahlberg, who co-wrote
the film, has a fun cameo as an embittered cop who keeps an eye on
Brian post-prison. It's not exactly a stretch for him, but the more
talented, less famous Wahlberg brother is always welcome onscreen.

Once again, had this solid, adult drama been released in the spring or
the summer, it would have likely stood out instead of being buried in
the award derby. But it is certainly worth the time for fans of the
genre and the actors. And, for general moviegoers, 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.

Grade: B+