Ruffalo had minor roles in films like The Dentist, low crime comedy Safe Men and Ang Lee's Civil War western Ride with the Devil. He made his directorial debut with Sympathy for Delicious, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize.
Ruffalo was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, a type of brain tumor and had surgery, the tumor was benign, but led to a period of partial facial paralysis. He fully recovered from paralysis and returned to good health and active life and film career.
