Broken (2012)

Three suburban English families' lives intertwine with tragic consequences.

Director:

Rufus Norris

Writers:

Daniel Clay (based on a novel by), Mark O'Rowe (screenplay)

Stars:

Charlie Booty, Lily James, Tim Roth

10 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlie Booty	...	Baby Skunk
Lily James	...	Older Skunk
Tim Roth	...	Archie
Eloise Laurence	...	Skunk
Lukas Fernandes-Pendse	...	Harry Barlow
Michael Fernandes-Pendse	...	Henry Barlow
Robert Emms	...	Rick
Rory Kinnear	...	Bob Oswald
Faye Daveney	...	Saskia
Martha Bryant	...	Sunrise
Clare Burt	...	Mrs. Buckley
Denis Lawson	...	Mr. Buckley
Paul Thornley	...	Policeman 1
David Webber	...	Policeman 2
Bill Milner	...	Jed

Storyline

A terrific cast including Cillian Murphy and Tim Roth lead this British kitchen sink drama inspired by To Kill a Mocking Bird and adapted from Daniel Clay's novel. Theater director Rufus Norris smartly opts for an impressionist rather than classical approach to the material and modern setting.

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Plot Keywords:

fear of commitment | dysfunctional family | au pair | neighbor torment | bad neighbor | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lino Facioli and Nell Tiger Free have both appeared in Game Of Thrones.

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Quotes

Skunk: Are you going to marry her?
Archie: I don't know.
Skunk: Are you?
Archie: I don't know, love.
Skunk: Because she'll leave us the way she left Mike. Like Mum left us. Like everyone does.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Father and Daughter Movies (2014)

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Soundtracks

When I'm Really Old
Written by Written by Damon Albarn (as Albarn) and Rufus Norris (as Norris)
Performed by Electric Wave Bureau
Produced by Electric Wave Bureau
Vocals by Eloise Laurence

User Reviews

New kid on the block

So simple and yet so complicated, as often life can be. Normal houses and plain faces on your block often conceal mini dramas. A cul de sac, to be precise, symbolic perhaps of the impasse that certain characters in "Broken" have reached.

Hats off to the director (and editor?) for the way certain sequences were handled. You would see a scene - the conclusion of certain events - and at the right moment (when you'd start wondering "when and how did this happen?"), the action would rewind itself and everything would make sense. From effect to cause...

I guess this movie is not for the "Batman" crowd. No jumping off roofs, no wild chases, no gunshots, just bleeding. The real kind that could happen to your sister or brother or parent or child. Or to your neighbour. The kind that you might read about in the newspaper the next day. Bleeding external and bleeding internal. Of the lip and of the heart.

The acting was very convincing. Not the kind that sticks in your mind forever, but that's exactly what I consider to be one of the film's main assets: the lack of exaggeration in the delivery of the lines is what makes the story plausible, real, as if though you're witnessing events unfold outside your window.

And hats off to the new kid on the block. Eloise Laurence is a natural. I'd love to have her for my daughter too! Or sister. Or neighbour. I have a feeling we'll be hearing more from her. And from director Rufus Norris. The chain must not be broken.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 March 2013 (UK)

Also Known As:

Broken

Filming Locations:

Elmstead Close, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Bill Kenwright Films, Cuba Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1