Late in 2017, I gave myself a goal: in 2018, I would watch 100 films I had never seen before. Tonight, I began that journey with "Heaven Knows What," directed by The Safdie Brothers.
Ever since I saw "Good Time" last summer, I knew I would need to see everything directed by The Safdies. Although I've taken some time getting around to this, I finally started to venture through their filmography. Based on the life of star Arielle Holmes, "Heaven Knows What" follows a heroin addict and those around her as they attempt to just get by. Light on plot for the most part, this film is more of a "slice of life" piece of work, showing all the highs, highs, and lows of the group that Harley, Holmes' character, associates with. It doesn't hold back at all, and although I've already wisely decided that I would never try heroin, this film would have convinced me anyway.
As bleak as some parts were, there's a lot of good throughout this film. Flawless acting by the whole cast (including Buddy Duress, who filmed his part while evading arrest after slipping out of custody), a great original score, and some great direction courtesy of The Safdie Brothers. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend this film to everyone, it's definitely worth a watch if my poorly-written description piqued your interests at all. PS: it's streaming on Netflix.
If you've seen this film, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Also, I'm looking for recommendations of films to watch, so I'm begging you to suggest some to me. I've got a small list so far, but nowhere near 100.