I Know This Much Is True (2020)

The adaptation is a soul-crushing portrait of twin brothers struggling with their painful past and worsening future. Ruffalo delivers a standout dual performance in Derek Cianfrance's unrelenting HBO limited series.

The series is rich but unrelenting in its misery, with stellar performances from Ruffalo and the supporting cast elevating it to prestige television. It excels in heartfelt moments but sags under the weight of its self-indulgent trauma and bleak tone.

Tremendous performances, especially Ruffalo's, reward viewers for enduring six hours of tragic wallowing in this unrelenting family tragedy adapted from Wally Lamb's novel. The critic praises the grounded misery and acting but notes it may not lead to much revelation.

The series is praised for Mark Ruffalo's dual performance as the twins but criticised for its unrelenting focus on suffering that leads to compassion fatigue. It is seen as a heavy, mood-driven mood piece without much light or wider insight.

Ruffalo's dual performance carries the series through its unremitting sadness and episodic structure, but the show struggles with credibility and pacing over six episodes, ending up as the sum of his two parts despite Cianfrance's talents. The critic singles out Ruffalo's nuanced portrayal of the twins for praise amid the grim narrative.

The series is called sensitively written, stylishly directed and brilliantly acted, especially Ruffalo's dual role, but ultimately impossible to recommend due to its unrelenting procession of trauma and despair. It is described as television as an endurance exercise.

The critic finds the series a grim waste of an excellent cast, sinking under its own bleakness with misery piled upon misery without narrative tension or progression. Ruffalo's performance has potential but ultimately the show fails to make viewers care.

The review highlights the near-perfect performances by Mark Ruffalo as the twins and the brave, intelligent script that avoids easy cheer. It compares the tone to Manchester by the Sea while noting the unrelenting misery.

The critic loves the devastating yet rewarding series despite its bleakness, singling out Ruffalo's remarkable dual performance and the emotional depth of the brotherly relationship.

The critic praises the miniseries for its graceful handling of profound suffering and trauma, highlighting Ruffalo's chameleonic dual performance as the standout element.

The series is technically great and features a career-defining performance from Mark Ruffalo, but its crushing parade of misery makes it a difficult and potentially poorly timed watch. Ruffalo fully inhabits both twins in a beautifully bleak prestige drama.

The critic finds the series a harrowing, grim analysis of family trauma that is exhausting but kept watchable by Mark Ruffalo's exceptional dual performance as the twins.

The miniseries is more brutal than expected, with Ruffalo smashing it in the dual roles amid a heavy mix of pain and obligation. Cianfrance's direction is impressive but often joyless, making for a grim but well-crafted experience.