 GRADE: 8
A young woman struggles to reconcile her loves of her life: her boyfriend and heroin. She finds out that suicide is the only way for her boyfriend to forgive her for her misdeed.
Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
Country: USA
THOUGHTS:
The excellence of this movie isn’t in the plot, though that adds resonance, but in the performances. It rings brutally true from scene one on down. Arielle Holmes carries the picture handily, but it’s Buddy Duress as Mike that gives the film its uncannily true-to-life authenticity. His performance reminded me of an actual ex-junkie that I once worked with—interestingly, also named Mike. The Safdies’ direction and editing makes what might have been a mind-numbingly depressing downer of a film into something harsh and unpleasant, but strangely exhilarating and action-packed.