--- title: "I Know This Much Is True: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/i-know-this-much-is-true/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/i-know-this-much-is-true" critics_score: 62 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # I Know This Much Is True (2020): what the critics said Critics' score 62 from 13 reviews: 7 positive, 3 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics agree on two things: Mark Ruffalo’s dual performance as the twins is the reason to watch, and the series is relentlessly grim. Nearly every review calls the acting exceptional, several singling out how completely Ruffalo separates the two brothers, and the supporting cast is praised alongside him. Derek Cianfrance’s direction is generally judged handsome and controlled, with the adaptation of Wally Lamb’s novel described as sensitive and serious. The split is over whether six hours of suffering is earned. The warmer reviews find grace in the way the series handles trauma and call it devastating but rewarding. The cooler ones describe compassion fatigue, a lack of narrative tension and little wider insight. The Independent admires the writing and acting but finds it impossible to recommend, and The i Paper calls it a waste of an excellent cast. The spread is wide, from enthusiastic to outright dismissal, with the middle ground conceding the craft while questioning the point. ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 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. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/i-know-this-much-is-true-review-hbo-mark-ruffalo-1202229221/) ## The AV Club — Ines Bellina Rating B-. 1 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/mark-ruffalo-s-at-the-top-of-his-game-in-the-rich-but-u-1843201821) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 April 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/i-know-is-true-review-1292344/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 11 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/may/11/i-know-this-much-is-true-review-mark-ruffalos-put-upon-twins) ## Variety — Daniel D'Addario Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 4 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2020/tv/reviews/i-know-this-much-is-true-review-mark-ruffalo-1234596958/) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 11 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/i-know-this-much-is-true-episode-1-review-mark-ruffalo-hbo-sky-atlantic-a9508351.html) ## The i Paper — Barbara Speed Rating ★★. 11 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/i-know-this-much-is-true-review-a-grim-waste-of-an-excellent-cast-426841) ## The Times — Carol Midgley Rating ★★★★☆. 12 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/i-know-this-much-is-true-review-one-fine-actor-two-near-perfect-performances-6x7jpzjg8) ## Collider — Jeff Sneider Rating 4.5 stars out of 5. 10 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://collider.com/mark-ruffalo-i-know-this-much-is-true-review-hbo/) ## Consequence — Clint Worthing Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 10 May 2020. The critic praises the miniseries for its graceful handling of profound suffering and trauma, highlighting Ruffalo's chameleonic dual performance as the standout element. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2020/05/tv-review-i-know-this-much-is-true/) ## Den of Geek — Lacy Baugher Rating 4/5. 6 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/i-know-this-much-is-true-review/) ## NME — Dan Seddon Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 11 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/i-know-this-much-is-true-review-mark-ruffalo-2666091) ## Digital Spy Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 27 May 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a32669316/mark-ruffalo-i-know-this-much-is-true-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/i-know-this-much-is-true.md