Better handling for exception messages with special characters

src/hamcrest/core/core/raises.py

@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ def _call_function(self, function: Callable[..., Any]) -> bool:
 
             if isinstance(self.actual, self.expected):
                 if self.pattern is not None:
-                    if re.search(self.pattern, str(self.actual)) is None:
+                    if re.search(
+                        self.pattern, str(self.actual)
+                    ) is None and self.pattern is not str(self.actual):
                         return False
                 if self.matcher is not None:
                     if not self.matcher.matches(self.actual):

tests/hamcrest_unit_test/core/raises_with_parens_test.py

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import unittest
+
+from hamcrest import assert_that, calling, raises
+
+
+def raise_error(msg):
+    raise AssertionError(msg)
+
+
+class ParensTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_literal_parens(self):
+
+        message = "Message with (parens)"
+        assert_that(calling(raise_error).with_args(message), raises(AssertionError, message))
+
+    def test_parens_in_regex(self):
+        assert_that(calling(raise_error).with_args("abab"), raises(AssertionError, r"(ab)+"))