The lead, Arielle Holmes lived on the streets of NYC prior to this film and after being discovered by Josh Safdie, she wrote and texted him almost every situation and story she experienced via her heroin addiction, her tragic relationship with Ilya and life on the streets of NYC. When the film began shooting, Arielle Holmes got clean and remained clean throughout the shoot.
So as not to disturb the actors of this sensitive material or to alert authorities (no shooting permits had been granted) the cinematographer filmed scenes with long lenses from a distance.
Robert Pattinson contacted the Safdie Brothers, which led to Good Time, because he discovered the poster of Arielle Holmes covered in pink neon light randomly on the internet. He was so intrigued by the energy of the photograph, that he wrote an email to the brothers saying he wanted to work with them. The brothers then started to write Good Time with Pattinson in mind.
Actor Buddy Duress was on the run from the police the entire time while filming this movie, got arrested the day after wrapping, and was in Rikers Island prison when it premiered. He got released just a few weeks prior before filming started for Good Time in February 2016. When Uncut Gems premiered in the fall of 2019, he was back in Rikers Island. Since the late 2000s, he's been sent there some 10 times on charges ranging from heroin possession, petty larceny, identity theft, charges of menacing and criminal possession of brass knuckles.