Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Parker Posey | ... | Nora Wilder | |
Drea de Matteo | ... | Audrey Andrews | |
Tim Guinee | ... | Mark Andrews | |
Gena Rowlands | ... | Vivien Wilder-Mann | |
Peter Bogdanovich | ... | Irving Mann | |
Roy Thinnes | ... | Peter Andrews | |
Michael Panes | ... | Glen | |
Justin Theroux | ... | Nick Gable | |
Philip Pavel | ... | Front Desk Worker | |
Melvil Poupaud | ... | Julien | |
Dana Ivey | ... | Elinor Gregory | |
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William Wise | ... | William Gregory |
Josh Hamilton | ... | Charlie Ross | |
Caitlin Keats | ... | Jennifer Ross | |
Russell Steinberg | ... | Carl (as Russel Steinberg) |
Nora Wilder is freaking out. Everyone around her is in a relationship, is married, or has children. Nora is in her thirties, alone with job she's outgrown and a mother who constantly reminds her of it all. Not to mention her best friend Audrey's "perfect marriage". But after a series of disastrous dates, Nora unexpectedly meets Julien, a quirky Frenchman who opens her eyes to a lot more than love. Written by Writer
Zoe Cassavetes' "Broken English" is a comedy/drama about an attractive young woman who, through her neuroticism and emotional insecurities, keeps sabotaging her own happiness. Even though she works as a manager and troubleshooter at a trendy Manhattan hotel, Nora Wilder doesn't lead what one would call a particularly fulfilling life. Unable to make a lasting connection with any of the men she meets, Nora finds herself drifting from one meaningless encounter to another, a situation that only exacerbates her already deep-rooted fears and vulnerabilities.
In its structure, "Broken English" has a freeform looseness that keeps it from feeling over-plotted and contrived. And while there are times when the movie seems to be serving up pretty much the same scene over and over again, Posey's winsomeness and charm make us care about the character. In fact, without her, the movie would be considerably less compelling than it is. She manages to make a likable figure out of a character who might otherwise be seen as excessively whiny and self-pitying. And even though the mood of the film is generally light and playfully ironic, there is some genuine pain in the story as well, as Nora struggles with the very real issues of loneliness, panic attacks and depression.
The actress receives impressive support from Drea de Matteo ("The Sopranos"), Peter Bogdanovich, Gena Rowlands, Justin Theroux and Melvil Poupaud, but the movie is Posey's all the way.