Film Recommendation: Broken

And now, for once, a short post! ;-)

Honestly, I could never say enough about how pleased I was with this film after having watched it on a whim a couple of weeks ago. The writing is perfection, the performances astounding, and the story both believable and moving. This work of fiction follows the everyday lives of a handful of people who live in one of the cul-de-sacs of North London directly after an act of violence takes place and things begin to fall apart (hence the title). The audience knows from the very beginning that something has happened to Eloise Laurence's character Skunk: a young, type-1 diabetic growing up under the care of her kind, single father. Relationships are one of the major focuses of this film, and the development of these ever-tenuous links is exceptional. The coming of age aspect is also well-explored, as are understandings of mental illness (which I personally thought was handled with earnestness and compassion), expressions of grief, family dynamics, and the intricacies of inter-connectivity.

Not rated. I'd say PG-13 for some graphic sexual and violent content.

I really do not want to spoil things...just bring out the tissues and go watch it for yourself. Last I checked it was available on Netflix, and at a runtime of only one and a half hours you cannot really go wrong. Now, GO GO GO!

For more information:

• Broken on IMDB