Obviously hard to watch at times, but that’s honestly kind of the point. This raw examination of a group of heroin addicts living in the city, is a sad and tragic tale of characters who seem to be unaware, or worse are aware, of the damage they’re inflicting on themselves for fleeting instances of instant gratification, but don’t seem to care. It helps that the leading actress, Arielle Holmes, is playing a semi-fictionalized version of herself (the script was based on her unpublished novel) which I think helps sell the scenes. She is fantastic in the film, and truly captures the pathetic nature of her character, without making her feel unsympathetic. The main thing I don’t like about the film is the ending, because some parts of it just seem unclear and inconsistent. I think I know what the directors were going for, but I’m not really sure, and the film suffers as a result, because it doesn’t stick the landing. However, the rest of the movie is so effective, that it can be forgiven. Not a feel-good movie, and definitely not for everyone, but worth checking out if you’re in the mood for a raw, and uncompromising film.
Rating: 4/5
