Rated R, 94 minutes
Dark, captivating drama "Heaven Knows What" a powerful look at addiction and romance
Nothing like a romantic drama about homeless heroin junkies to lift your spirits. The mesmerizing, dark and superbly-acted new independent drama "Heaven Knows What" is the anti rom-com,which may work just fine. The captivating movie from the Safdie brothers and inspired from real events won't appeal to everyone, but it doesn't try to be. Harley (Arielle Holmes) loves Ilya (Native Dallasite Caleb Landry-Jones of the new "X-Men" movies). He gives her life purpose and sets her passion ablaze. So, when he asks her to prove her love by slitting her wrists, she obliges with only mild hesitation, perhaps because her other all-consuming love: heroin. This sets in motion a trajectory of events and an unusual love triangle that involves her charming drug dealer, Mike (real life street kid Buddy Duress). Directed by the acclaimed directing duo of Josh and Benny Safdie, native New Yorkers and directors of such Independent Spirit and Gotham award winners as "Daddy Longlegs" and "The Black Balloon," "Heaven Knows What" is a gritty but rewarding and stylistic look at the very dark side of homeless addiction, and one you won't soon forget. Difficult and exhausting to watch, "Heaven Knows What" is based on newcomer Holmes (who makes her film debut here) life on the streets, as detailed in her forthcoming autobiography, "Mad Love in New York City." Most memorable are the natural, powerful performances from the three leads, and the loose, documentary-style photography from Sean Price Williams, whose visual style adds an unique vibe to the movie, without it, the film wouldn't have has as near as much impact. Holmes reminds of a cross-between a young Brittany Murphy and Aubrey Plaza in an auspicious and memorable debut; likewise, Landry-Jones casts a dark spell as Ilya (the real Ilya, the inspiration for the role, just passed away and the film is dedicated to him) while real-life street kid Duress (also in his feature debut) gives the movie's most charismatic turn as the drug dealer who finds he really cares about Harley. "Heaven Knows What" is perhaps too loose and too dark at times, and the obvious tragedy of it all has a familiar Shakespearean ring to it, especially in the final act. However, some of its images cast a powerful (and not always pretty) look at love, capturing some of the unique drug culture on the streets. It's not for everyone and has anything but mainstream appeal, but some of the images will stay with you long after you leave the theater.
Nothing like a romantic drama about homeless heroin junkies to lift your spirits. The mesmerizing, dark and superbly-acted new independent drama "Heaven Knows What" is the anti rom-com,which may work just fine. The captivating movie from the Safdie brothers and inspired from real events won't appeal to everyone, but it doesn't try to be. Harley (Arielle Holmes) loves Ilya (Native Dallasite Caleb Landry-Jones of the new "X-Men" movies). He gives her life purpose and sets her passion ablaze. So, when he asks her to prove her love by slitting her wrists, she obliges with only mild hesitation, perhaps because her other all-consuming love: heroin. This sets in motion a trajectory of events and an unusual love triangle that involves her charming drug dealer, Mike (real life street kid Buddy Duress). Directed by the acclaimed directing duo of Josh and Benny Safdie, native New Yorkers and directors of such Independent Spirit and Gotham award winners as "Daddy Longlegs" and "The Black Balloon," "Heaven Knows What" is a gritty but rewarding and stylistic look at the very dark side of homeless addiction, and one you won't soon forget. Difficult and exhausting to watch, "Heaven Knows What" is based on newcomer Holmes (who makes her film debut here) life on the streets, as detailed in her forthcoming autobiography, "Mad Love in New York City." Most memorable are the natural, powerful performances from the three leads, and the loose, documentary-style photography from Sean Price Williams, whose visual style adds an unique vibe to the movie, without it, the film wouldn't have has as near as much impact. Holmes reminds of a cross-between a young Brittany Murphy and Aubrey Plaza in an auspicious and memorable debut; likewise, Landry-Jones casts a dark spell as Ilya (the real Ilya, the inspiration for the role, just passed away and the film is dedicated to him) while real-life street kid Duress (also in his feature debut) gives the movie's most charismatic turn as the drug dealer who finds he really cares about Harley. "Heaven Knows What" is perhaps too loose and too dark at times, and the obvious tragedy of it all has a familiar Shakespearean ring to it, especially in the final act. However, some of its images cast a powerful (and not always pretty) look at love, capturing some of the unique drug culture on the streets. It's not for everyone and has anything but mainstream appeal, but some of the images will stay with you long after you leave the theater.
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