Sorry, this movie sucks

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Just saw this on Netflix, and I thought it was extremely well done, but it just didn't seem like most of the things that happened in the film could have taken place in the Manhattan of today. Too much of it took place right in the open, and I don't see how that could go on in the Police/Tourist State Manhattan has become, as the result of 24 years of the dictatorships of Giuliani and Bloomberg.A film like Panic In Needle Park was done before the gentrification of Manhattan, so its Manhattan setting was quite believable, but the author of the 'book' this was based on, Ms. Holmes, said in an interview that most of the incidents this was based on were taken from her life in Bayonne, NJ. The brothers that made this flick met Ms. Holmes on the subway while she was doing some type of apprenticeship in the Diamond District.I suppose that Ms. Holmes decided to set, "Mad Love in NYC" in NYC, because who would care about a book called "Mad Love in Bayonne"?I had just seen "My Beautiful Broken Brain", and it seems to be a trend of having beautiful women who have gone through bad ordeals, starring in films about said ordeals. If both of these movies were about unattractive women, I doubt they would have had any marketability, hence probably wouldn't be made, but hey, it worked in my case; I wouldn't have watched either movie if their stars weren't so gorgeous!

There are a lot of movies about drugs addiction. Heaven Knows What (2014) adds a new chapter to them. It is a small film, which shows the daily life of a number of addicts in a realistic manner. In addition to the struggle for life, love plays an important role. Heaven Knows What manages to touch the very soul, is fascinating and intriguing. And also acted well (or not) by real addicts.Heaven Knows What is extra special because of the story behind it. It is the story of Arielle Holmes. On her 12th she already smoked crack, because it was quite normal in her environment. She soon lived on and from the street, day to day, bag to bag. Filmmaker Joshua Safdie, drifting through the city in search of inspiration, came in contact and was fascinated by her. He asked her to write down her story. Every day one page. On loose pieces of paper. Later, he handed her his laptop (which was delivered back neatly by police ....). This is the way a book is created, which forms the basis for this film.Besides the story of her addiction, she tells the story of her love for Ilya. Ilya is played by the only professional actor (Caleb Landry Jones), because the real Ilya died during the shooting. In the film he falls asleep after a shot and his room catches fire. In the movie Harley (Arielle Holmes) attempts to commit suicide as proof of her love for him. Their relationship is not running very well, which is caused by the drugs. You always have a different priority.So Arielle Holmes also plays the lead role and she appears to be a natural talent. At the time of filming and writing the book she was hooked. Now she is out of rehab and has two other films on the role. It looks like a variant of the American Dream. From addict to actress.Arielle Holmes declared in an interview that the life of an addict also has its good sides and that she has trouble with ordinary life. No responsibility, living in the moment, just focused on eating, drinking and drugs. Little hassle and a lot of freedom. I can somewhere imagine that. Yet in the end it seems to me particularly stressful to start each day from scratch. It becomes harder every day to find relaxation. You need more and bigger shots and it becomes increasingly difficult to get the money. A negative spiral, which is hard to breakthrough.I wonder how she will develop because she's only 22 and not very long clean. If she can keep seeing things from two sides, she will manage. Because besides its authenticity a strength of Heaven Knows What is that it glorifies nor condemns.

I began this movie in a state of repulsion: the characters live a stunted, grotesque life on the streets of New York. We are forced to bear witness to their pathetic lives, squabbles and desperate lust for drugs.However, I was struck by how strongly I felt about it. I realised the performances were raw, and without artifice, and brilliant. And I was being forced to consider a group of people I would usually shy away from, and reject without a moment's thought in real life. Characters come and go in a dreamy timeless stream of events. They are like wayward children: showing concern for each other's wellbeing one moment and scream obscenities at each other the next. They loudly proclaim tales of valour and adventure, eager for attention. Mike, ironically, lists the lethal dangers of driving on the back of a motorcycle as Harley rides around with a stranger. Ilya wanders up to Harley while she's listlessly having sex with someone in the gutter. Harley is vaguely entertained by a man doing tricks on a motorcycle. Ilya harasses Harley days after encouraging her to slash her wrists. They are dirty, mean, angry, violent, overly dramatic, desperate and lost. Arielle Holmes bring a fresh earnestness to the role of Harley. She is full of contradictions: vulnerable and hard, caring and disloyal, hopeless and hopeful. You can't help but look for signs of life, and potential in her eyes. Harley hints that Ilya was the reason she became a junkie. Her world revolves around her infatuation with Ilya, and her mind-numbing obsession with heroin. "Don't you want to be your own person?" Mike asks her. No. She is a shell of a person. There appears to be no hope of redemption for Harley.If you're a fan of great true-to-life story-telling and like a good art house flick, this is an excellent choice. The simplicity of these people belies a powerful story.

I guess I'm writing this review after seeing the one and only other review. This film is actually really very good, and for what its showing: perfect. Time is different for some people. Those with heroin in their lives don't live as we do. For them time doesn't really exist.There is a flow and it is somewhat linear though quantum leaps here and there are possible at anytime. There is always need.The opening is a dream. One of Harley's perfect moments in 'time' smashed by a realisation. She has to kill herself for the man she loves? Combine this with Heroins ebb and flow and it becomes even more intense. Love unrequited but really Ilya loves Harley too... right? What will you do for love? Anything. What will you do for Heroin? Almost anything?The film flows through days and night though really we are just allowed to view their lives for a short train ride. The end is Malick in style - life just keeps on flowing. I read up a little on Arielle Holmes (Harley) - she has lived the lifestyle, and some parts of the film are based on her adventures!It's very realistic. Just watch it all, let it flow.Oh also, the use of modular synths and sound instead of voice (in parts) is very effective, the latter trying something new and it worked.