Heaven Knows What (2014)

Last updated:
September 25, 2025

Heaven Knows What (2014), directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, is a raw and unsettling film about youth, addiction, and self-destruction in New York City. Based on Arielle Holmes’ unpublished memoir Mad Love in New York City, the movie mixes reality and fiction, with Holmes herself playing a fictionalized version of her life.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Introduction: Harley’s Desperate Love

The film follows Harley (Arielle Holmes), a young heroin addict wandering the streets of New York. She is madly in love with her boyfriend Ilya (Caleb Landry Jones), another addict whose presence both fuels and destroys her. From the very beginning, Harley’s love for him feels toxic yet unshakable.

Harley’s Attempted Suicide

One of the most shocking and pivotal moments comes early on when Harley, desperate to prove her devotion to Ilya, slits her wrists in front of him after he manipulates her into doing so. This is a crucial turning point, setting the tone for the film’s brutal depiction of addiction and co-dependence.

Life on the Streets

After being released from the hospital, Harley returns to her aimless existence on the streets of Manhattan. The film portrays the chaotic, day-to-day struggle of homeless youth addicted to heroin: stealing, hustling, fighting, and chasing their next high. She develops a connection with Mike (Buddy Duress), another addict, who becomes an unpredictable but oddly stabilizing presence in her life.

Harley Between Two Worlds

Throughout the film, Harley is torn between Ilya and Mike. Ilya represents her obsessive, destructive love, while Mike provides a different kind of attachment—less passionate but more grounded in the shared grind of survival. Harley remains trapped between them, unable to find a way out of her cycle.

Movie Ending

The film ends in ambiguity and despair, refusing to offer closure or redemption. After a violent altercation involving Mike, Harley wanders the streets, visibly lost and disoriented. She ends up sitting alone on a bench in the cold, staring blankly into space. The movie fades out without resolution, leaving the audience with the sense that Harley’s future remains uncertain—caught in a cycle of addiction, love, and survival that may never truly end.

This lack of narrative closure is deliberate, reflecting the real-life experience of addicts whose lives rarely follow neat cinematic arcs. The ending is bleak, realistic, and deeply unsettling, emphasizing the hopelessness at the core of Harley’s world.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Heaven Knows What does not feature any post-credits scenes. The film ends on a stark, unsettling note and transitions directly into the credits.

Type of Movie

Heaven Knows What is a drama and psychological character study with strong elements of social realism. It belongs to the Safdie Brothers’ brand of gritty, street-level filmmaking, which blurs the line between documentary and narrative fiction.

Cast

Arielle Holmes as Harley
Caleb Landry Jones as Ilya
Buddy Duress as Mike
Necro as Skully
Eleonore Hendricks as Erica

Film Music and Composer

The film features a pulsing, atmospheric soundtrack heavily influenced by electronic music. Much of it was composed by Isao Tomita, a Japanese electronic music pioneer, whose synth-driven arrangements create a haunting and dreamlike mood. His reinterpretations of classical music add an otherworldly quality that contrasts with the gritty realism on screen.

Filming Locations

The film was shot entirely in New York City, mostly in real locations rather than sets. Abandoned buildings, parks, sidewalks, and fast-food restaurants all serve as authentic backdrops. The use of real locations emphasizes the documentary-like feel of the film and immerses viewers in the harsh, chaotic world of homeless addicts.

Awards and Nominations

Won CICAE Award at the Venice Film Festival (2014).
Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in the Contemporary World Cinema section.
Praised by critics for its authenticity and Holmes’ raw performance, though it remained more of a festival success than a mainstream awards contender.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Arielle Holmes was discovered by Josh Safdie while she was panhandling in New York. After hearing her story, he encouraged her to write her experiences down, which became the basis for the film.
Holmes had never acted before this movie; her performance is largely drawn from lived experiences.
Caleb Landry Jones reportedly stayed in character throughout filming, creating tension on set.
The Safdie Brothers intentionally used non-professional actors in several roles to enhance realism.

Inspirations and References

Based on Arielle Holmes’ unpublished memoir Mad Love in New York City.
Inspired by neorealism and vérité-style filmmaking, particularly the works of John Cassavetes and Italian neorealists.
The soundtrack choice nods to the blending of harsh reality with dreamlike abstraction, contrasting life’s brutality with Harley’s inner world.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no widely reported alternate endings. However, the Safdies did film more street-level material of Harley’s wanderings that was cut in the editing process to streamline the story. The ending we see—a lack of closure—was always intentional.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The movie is adapted from Holmes’ memoir but condenses and fictionalizes certain aspects. For example:

Some characters are composites of multiple real people.
The timeline of events is compressed to heighten dramatic tension.
Holmes’ real experiences were reportedly even darker, but the film shapes them into a narrative that could be followed cinematically.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

Harley’s suicide attempt to prove her love to Ilya.
Harley’s raw and chaotic reunion with Ilya after being discharged from the hospital.
Mike’s violent fight that spirals out of control, pulling Harley deeper into danger.
The lonely final bench scene, Harley staring into the void.

Iconic Quotes

Harley: “I’ll do anything for you.”
Ilya: “If you really love me, you’ll do it.”
Mike: “Out here, nobody gives you nothing. You gotta take it.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

Many extras are real people from the New York street scene, not actors.
The Safdies used hidden cameras for some crowd shots to capture authentic reactions.
The film includes subtle nods to the Safdies’ later film Good Time, both stylistically and thematically.

Trivia

Arielle Holmes was still struggling with addiction during production.
The Safdie Brothers helped Holmes enter rehab after filming.
Holmes later published her memoir, which the film was based on.
The chaotic energy of the film is partly due to handheld cameras and natural lighting.

Why Watch?

You should watch Heaven Knows What if you appreciate unflinching realism in cinema. It’s not a comfortable film—it’s raw, disturbing, and heartbreaking—but it’s also deeply human. The Safdie Brothers capture the beauty and despair of broken lives in a way few filmmakers can.

Director’s Other Movies

Good Time (2017)
Uncut Gems (2019)
Daddy Longlegs (2009)
Lenny Cooke (2013)

Heaven Knows What (2014)