Not Easily Broken (2009)

Director:

Bill Duke

Writers (WGA):

Brian Bird (screenplay)
T.D. Jakes (novel)

Release Date:

9 January 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A car accident and shifting affections test the bond between a married couple.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Title Spoken By Character

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Morris Chestnut	...	Dave Johnson
Taraji P. Henson	...	Clarice Clark
Maeve Quinlan	...	Julie Sawyer
Kevin Hart	...	Tree
Wood Harris	...	Darnell Gooden
Eddie Cibrian	...	Brock Houseman
Jenifer Lewis	...	Mary 'Mama' Clark
Niecy Nash	...	Michelle
Cannon Jay	...	Bryson Sawyer
Albert Hall	...	Bishop Wilkes
Jeff Krebs	...	Trauma Doctor
Nathaniel Carter	...	Deshawn
Brendon Terrell Ferguson	...	Marcus (as Brendon Terrell)
Kwame Boateng	...	Darius
Henry Brown	...	Mr. Reid (as Henry Brown Jr.)
Olivia Brown	...	Mrs. Reid
Lee Reherman	...	Coach Spinello
Elizabeth Uhl	...	Trauma Nurse
Justin Michael Carter	...	Male Onlooker
Gregg Bello	...	Onlooker #2
Lou Simon	...	Police Officer (as Louis C. Simon)
Michael Taylor Gray	...	Maître d'
T.D. Jakes	...	Allen
Denetria Champ	...	Church Singer
Jesse Campbell	...	Wedding Singer
Terry Thomas	...	Funeral Singer
Baldwin C. Sykes	...	Basketball Player (as Baldwin Sykes)
Garry Guerrier	...	Curtis (as Garry G.)
Serita Jakes	...	Allen's Wife
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
April Betts	...	Darnel's Girl (uncredited)
Terrell Byrd	...	Baller (uncredited)
Cean Houston	...	Groomsman (uncredited)
Andre Pitre	...	Basketball Player (uncredited)
Christina Janine Rodgers	...	Church Member (uncredited)
Troy Williams	...	Todd (uncredited)

Directed by
Bill Duke

Writing credits (WGA)
Brian Bird		(screenplay)
T.D. Jakes		(novel)

Produced by
Brian Bird	....	co-producer
Steven Brown	....	executive producer
Morris Chestnut	....	executive producer
Bill Duke	....	producer
T.D. Jakes	....	producer
Aaron Norris	....	producer
Curtis Wallace	....	producer

Original Music by
Kurt Farquhar

Cinematography by
Geary McLeod

Film Editing by
Josh Rifkin

Casting by
Michelle Adams
Kim Hardin

Production Design by
Cecil Gentry

Art Direction by
Craig Pavilionis

Costume Design by
Diane Charles

Makeup Department
Barbara Augustus	....	makeup artist (as Barbara Augustus Johnson)
Germicka Barclay	....	key hair stylist
Rebecca DeHerrera	....	makeup department head
Angela Gurule	....	hair department head
Mark Sanchez	....	key makeup artist (as Mark R. Sanchez)

Production Management
Vickie M. Hsieh	....	production supervisor
Nick Phillips	....	executive in charge of production
Bill Wohlken	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rachel Dickson	....	second assistant director
Stephen Harrison	....	first assistant director

Art Department
James J. Burke	....	graphic designer
Monique Cavin	....	on-set dresser
Eric Hill	....	set dresser
E. Colleen Saro	....	property master

Sound Department
Devin Joseph	....	dialogue editor
David Mann	....	sound effects editor
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
R. Russell Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Steinbeck	....	sound mixer
Ben Wienert	....	boom operator
Gary Raymond	....	Pro Tools music playback and recording (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Larry Fioritto	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Regan Copeland	....	digital intermediate editor
Meliza Fermin	....	compositor
Diego Galtieri	....	digital compositor
Curt Miller	....	visual effects supervisor
Scott Ramsey	....	visual effects producer

Stunts
Lou Simon	....	fight choreographer
Lou Simon	....	stunt coordinator
April Weeden	....	stunt double (as April Weeden-Washington)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mario Casarez	....	grip
Peter Chrimes	....	key grip
Carlos de Varona	....	first assistant camera
Ian Dodd	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Billy Gunn	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Chris W. Johnson	....	additional camera operator
Hiro Kakuhari	....	best boy grip
Michael Lambert	....	gaffer
Ron Phillips	....	still photographer
Bryce Shields	....	digital video assist supervisor
Nobu Tashiro	....	grip
Taj J. Teffaha	....	Steadicam operator

Casting Department
Brandi S. Hawkins	....	extras casting
Cicero Salmon III	....	casting intern
Cecile del Rosario	....	casting intern
Karen Wood	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank Alexander	....	set costumer
Rebecca M. Graves	....	costume assistant
Patricia McLaughlin	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Joi McMillon	....	first assistant editor
Bill Schultz	....	digital intermediate executive
Walter Volpatto	....	digital intermediate colorist

Music Department
Alison Ball	....	music supervisor
Lisa Kehaulani Cho	....	music coordinator
Jerome Leroy	....	conductor
David Lombard	....	music supervisor
Philippe Saisse	....	featured soloist
Joshua Winget	....	music editor
Rick Winquest	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
David Marder	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Anna Belaro-Rodriguez	....	first assistant accountant
Janice Clark	....	assistant: Mr. Wallace
Lisa Darden	....	assistant: Mr. Duke
Bryan Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Sierra Donley	....	production assistant
Julie Fay	....	production coordinator
Rob Gibson	....	location manager
Katherine Grace	....	layout board
De' Leon Howard III	....	photo double: Morris Chestnut
Jeffrey Ryan Kent	....	assistant: Mr. Duke (as Jeff Kent)
Paul Lavoie	....	digital production manager
David Linck	....	unit publicist
Aimee McDaniel	....	assistant sports coordinator
Joshua Polite	....	assistant: Mr. Wallace
Arian Simone Reed	....	publicity consultant (as Arian Reed)
Rhonda Reznick	....	production accountant
Beverly Robinson	....	assistant: Mr. Jakes
Susie Schelling	....	medical consultant
Mitch Spacone	....	system support: FotoKem
Chloe Spencer	....	production assistant
Pavel Sterba	....	key assistant location manager
Sophia Tapia	....	payroll accountant
Andrew Will	....	assistant: Mr. Zappia
Merik Woodmansee	....	assistant: Mr. Duke (as Merrik Woodmansee)
Joe Zappia	....	production assistant

Thanks
Jeffrey Ryan Kent	....	special thanks (as Jeff Kent)
Ryan Martin	....	special thanks
Barry McPherson	....	special thanks
Michelle Revere	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Screen Gems
• T.D. Jakes Ministries

Distributors

• Screen Gems (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Con Dios Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• Con Dios Entertainment (2010) (New Zealand) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Italy) (DVD)
• Nu Metro Theatres (2009) (South Africa) (theatrical)
• RTL Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL8)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2009) (worldwide) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2009) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• FotoKem Digital Film Services (opticals)
• Stargate Digital (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Liquid Soul Media  marketing and promotion
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Chef Robért Catering  catering
• FotoKem Film and Video  digital intermediate
• Hula Post  editing systems
• Sony Pictures Stock Footage  stock footage

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual references and thematic elements

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44059) | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | New Zealand:M | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Screen Gems

Trivia:

The actor playing the trauma doctor is a real physician.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where the mother-in-law shows up at the hospital, Dave and the doctor come out of Clarice's room coming toward the camera. When the M.I.L. finds out where the room is, she takes off past the camera in the wrong direction.

Quotes:

Dave Johnson:Sometimes you have to let life turn you upside down so you can learn how to live right side up.

Movie Connections:

Features The Caine Mutiny (1954)

Soundtrack:

Medieval Times (Great Pretender)

It Has Meaning This Movie

It Has Meaning This Movie.

T.D. Jakes previous novel Women Thou Art Loosed was adapted into an impressive film, five years and his follow up film Not Easily Broken is just as good. Directed by the underrated Bill Duke whose previous work includes Hoodlum and Deep Cover, Not Easily Broken tells the story of a couple (Morris Chestnut & Taraji P. Henson) whose marriage is crisis.After a car accident, injurers Henson's character things only get worse and their marriage but more importantly their faith is tested. I watched the film with my wife. It was a treat to discuss the film with her on the way out of the theater to our car. And during the ride home we came to understand a little more about each other. The acting considering the religious material is first rate, Morris Chestnut displays the same leading man charm he always does and fresh off her Oscar Worthy turn in Benjamin Button, Henson does wonders. Jenifer Lewis steals every scenes he's in as the mother-in-law, and Kevin Hart provides tons of comic relief as a life long friend to Chestnut' s character. Not Easily Brokenis the kind of film that most critics will tear apart. It could be there lack of familiarity for most critics when it comes to the gospel genre.Take for example the similar marriage in crisis themed film Revolutionary Road which is currently in release and stars Kate Winslet& Leonardo Dicarpo. Winslet just won a Golden Globe for her role in Road, while critics roasted Henson's performance in Not Easily Broken.While Winslet's character differs slightly from Henson's in Not Easily Broken both give performances that any women single or married can relate to. While Not Easily Broken does have an overlapping religious theme, anyone no matter what your religious beliefs willing to give this film a chance will be pleasantly surprised.

Actors: Morris Chestnut, Taraji P. Henson, Maeve Quinlan, Kevin Hart, Wood Harris, Jenifer Lewis.

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