Crwthod A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Catangro After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

hall895 Given the subject matter of drug addiction Down to the Bone almost can't help but be a rather depressing film. But depressing doesn't necessarily have to mean bad. Unfortunately in this case it is in fact pretty bad. The film has some good things going for it, most notably the quality performance of Vera Farmiga in the central role of Irene, a working mom struggling with a cocaine addiction. But there isn't enough good here to outweigh the bad. The film's failings lie mainly with the story, which fails to captivate and never really seems to get going. Irene goes to rehab and comes home to a clueless husband who has no idea how to support her attempt to kick her habit. Irene grows close to another recovering addict, a male nurse from her rehab center. Complications ensue. But the story never really sparks to life. It doesn't seem as if the movie is really going anywhere. You can say it's a stark, realistic look at the day-to-day struggles of an addict. Maybe so but in this case it doesn't make for an interesting movie. The whole thing has a very "blah" feel to it. The minimalist cinematography doesn't help matters, adding another layer of drab to the incredibly drab proceedings. And none of the other performances measure up to Farmiga's. Hugh Dillon is OK as Irene's male nurse friend but nobody else in the cast adds anything of value to the proceedings. All in all this movie is a bleak, depressing and rather dull ride.

johnnyblaze420-1 I just watched this film the other night and was very impressed with Vera Farmigas performance and the direction of the film. I never heard of the movie, I saw it at Best Buy and just bought it based on Vera Farmiga being in the film. The movie isn't a masterpiece but it is a great film and should be watched, if you are into independent movies or these type of movies. It is a low budget independent film that feels more realistic because of the way it was shot. Highly recommended. Vera Farmiga is definitely one to watch. Look forward to seeing her in other things. If you can find it at a rental store rent it. If not find it for sale and buy it well Worth it. It was only 14.99 at Best Buy.

Flicker8 I completely disagree with some of the comments below. This is a really well done independent film. I went into it not knowing anything about it and was blown away. It's a very nuanced and natural feeling film about what a woman with a family goes through with what seems to start out as a casual drug addiction. To me, it came off as a realistic and personal portrayal of a woman's struggle. And not the least bit glamorized in my view. As far as the cinematography goes, I thought it was perfect for the film. It definitely added to its impact. The verite style gives the viewer a feeling of following around a real woman with a serious problem and a family to look after. I also thought the setting of the film was interesting and unlike what we see in so many films. This includes the socio-economic level of the family, definitely not the rich kids we always see dabbling in drugs or, on the other end, urban gangsters dealing drugs (yes, I'm generalizing, but you know what I mean). These people fall somewhere in the middle. And last but not least, Farmiga's performance was brilliant. I've been keeping an eye out for her ever since seeing this film. Judging by the list of upcoming films on her IMDb profile, others took notice, too. I'm also very curious to see what Granik does next-- I hope she makes another film soon!

noralee "Down to the Bone" follows in the tradition of classic addiction and rehab movies (such as "Clean and Sober"), but it doesn't stoop to any clichés. The key to the story's credibility is the director's documentary style, the use of authentic, working class locales in Upstate New York, and terrific acting.Debut director Debra Granik and co-writer Richard Lieske don't follow the typical trajectory of horrific addiction experiences ("Lost Weekend," "Leaving Las Vegas," "Requiem for a Dream," etc.), though there's some frightening close calls, but quietly build an accretion of how a drug habit affects a mother and her family in her daily life as a cashier and living in a house her ne'er do well husband never finishes renovating. With no explication or back story, "Irene"s life plays out for us completely through what we see in grainy digital video and the characters' inarticulate interactions. Rehab is only the half-way point in a continuing struggle (and we have seen the 12-steps many times but perhaps not this drearily matter-of-factly) and the film is brilliant at demonstrating just how difficult it is to quit when everywhere there are not only triggers for physical need but how those around her benefited in some way from her behavior when she was high and keep encouraging her to indulge. Lapsing is cynically referred to as "the 13th step." None of these insights are hammered home redundantly as we see her frustrations and resiliency. I've noted Vera Farmiga in various TV series, but here she reveals guts, strength and range below her fragile beauty as she very believably, step by step, gives "Irene" backbone. Her chemistry with a seductively magnetic Hugh Dillon is terrific as their relationship goes from attraction to risk to independence.Though at one point New York City is a bit tritely used as a tempting source for drugs, the primary settings in snowy Kingston and Ulster County, with its downscale stores, weatherbeaten houses, high unemployment and desolate highway scapes set the characters in a very believable, multi-racial setting.There is a bit of heavy-handed symbolism with a pet snake, but the young children are terrifically natural, especially in their whiney-ness and physical reactions.The soundtrack unobtrusively includes an interesting selection of indie rock, including by Dillon's band.