Breaking

In true-tale drama "Breaking" John Boyega superbly channels Denzel Washington as a US Marine vet in Georgia who facing destitution when unfairly denied $793 by Veterans Affairs in 2017, held up a bank to highlight his case. Thru the ensuing tense siege (with hostages Nicole Bahari & Selenis Leyva) Boyega talks with po-po (inc Michael Kenneth Williams & Jeffrey Donovan), press (inc Connie Britton) & family (Olivia Washington & London Covington)... but where's it headed? Excellently performed (esp Boyega & Bahari) and terrifically directed (by Abi Damari Corbin (who also co-wrote it with Kwame Kwei-Armah)) this is a hard-hitting & classy movie indeed.

I was privileged enough to see this as part of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and it was decent. My biggest praise for this film is the performances. All of them are great especially John Boyega. I've only seen him in the sequel trilogy where he doesn't have a lot to do so it was really fun seeing him finally have the spotlight and he does a fantastic job here. Michael K. Williams and Nicole Beharie do a fantastic job as well here. Another big plus here is the message about how we treat veterans when they come home. It's awful how the government treats our veterans and that is what the movie is trying to tell here and it really works at the end. My main issues with this film were its presentation. None of the technical aspects of the film stand out at all. The cinematography and music are fine. The editing is fine. All of it is fine but it could be better. They also had this ugly filter on whenever Michael K. Williams is on screen. The film's tension is pretty good though. There were definitely points especially at the end where I could really feel nervous about the characters. This is based on a true story so most people know what happened but you still feel your heart racing towards the end. There were times though when the film was trying to be tense and it just didn't come through for me. I would recommend checking this out whenever the film hits theaters if you're interested in Boyega or the story this film is based on.

Beware: this is NOT an action movie, but a slowburning actor's DRAMA.

The story: An American war veteran (John Boyega) isnt paid the 892 dollars he is entitled to. Desperate for money and suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, he looses his mind and takes hostages at a bank in order to pressure the government to pay him the 892 dollars. And NOT a single dollar more!

Does this story sound too crazy to be true, think again, because this has actually happened for real! We get to hear the real 911 call from the real hostage taker at the very end of the movie during the credits.

This movie is on an entirely different level. I havent been taken a back like this by a movie for a long time...

First of all I must applaud the terrific acting performances by ALL of the actors involved.

John Boyega is probably best known for his comical Star Wars movie role, but in this movie he proofs he can really ACT well in a serious, hardhitting drama.

The direction of this movie is non stop suspenseful from start till finish. I literally sat on the edge of my seat, during the final half hour of this devestating story.

Everything from photography, to sound, to editing is masterfully done as well.

Beware: Not a movie to be recommended for those who seek cheap action packed entertainment, but a movie to be HIHGLY recommended for those who dont shy away from a devastating, true to life DRAMA, with a bleak and depressing moral message inside...

The most earth shattering drama I have witnessed these last couple of months... THIS is why I love the cinema!

Based on a tragically unnecessary true event, Breaking is not a feel-good movie. But it also didn't feel like a waste of time, as it shone the spotlight on a long-standing issue with the U. S. government and the far too many times it lets its veterans down, driving many of them to take desperate measures such as suicide, among other things. One of those "other things" is demonstrated in this film as it tells the story of the 2017 bank hostage event carried out by a former Marine Corps veteran, Brian Brown-Easley, who is in financial trouble (due to the VA not carrying through with assistance) and decides to rob a bank. But it's not a typical bank robbery. He just wants the VA to deliver to him what they owe. You can imagine the rest of the story. This is equal parts infuriating and heartbreaking. John Boyega pulls off a solid performance here, as always, and it was bittersweet to see Michael Kenneth Williams in what was one of his final roles. Recommended.

LOW RATINGS FROM THOSE WHO JUST DON'T CARE Anyone who understands the human condition of dealing with a society that doesn't care about the most vulnerable people who struggle day after day, will appreciate the message of this important movie. It's not only veterans who face homelessness, it's also those who suffer from mental illness. In any case, they are mostly alone and struggling to figure out how to get the help they need. By the time they get any direction on where to go and who to ask, they are already beaten down and their spirits are broken. This is the point for them in which death means peace and freedom.