I was in Toronto for the screening of Mourning Has Broken during the 1K Wave Film Festival, October 2012. It's a thought provoking film, featuring an incredible character actor, and a great supporting cast. At some points funny, others heart-breaking, there's very little about this film that isn't genuine. There are many great moments of honesty. The filmmakers clearly had a vision when they started this film, wading in the beauty and heartbreak of life, and you might feel as though you've sat down with them for a beer after the credits roll. See this movie with an intelligent friend, because you'll want to talk about it. And leave yourself lots of time after because there will be a lot to talk about.
2 Reviews
"The Butler Brother's raw yet intimate screenplay coupled with Nolan's delicate acting make for a beautiful film"
melyssa-burke9 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
What a thoughtful and surprising film this is. Brett and Jason Butler's Mourning has Broken comes advertised as a "day-in-the-death" dark comedy. Though there are plenty of well-crafted scenarios bound to make you laugh, this film is really a fable, a 'moral tale' about the lasting affects of love and the dangers of social stupidity.
Robert Nolan stars, in another role showing that like Will Ferrell and Steve Martin he has dramatic gifts to equal his comedic talent. He plays a character simply named 'husband', a regular man, who loves his wife and enjoys cooking special meals for his beloved cat.
The film takes us through a day in the life of 'the husband' as he tries to complete a list of errands on his "to-do list", while also battling with the emotional weight of his terminally ill wife's condition. The Butler Brothers spin an exquisite tapestry of mundane daily upsets that try the husband's patience, heart and sanity. These upsets range from simple annoyances such as bad drivers, poorly designed packaging, and pushy sales associates to larger social issues such as disrespect of art, dependency on technology, and poor social skills. The husband's delicate emotional state becomes the driving comedic engine of the film as his heightened reactions are secretly what many of us long to do. Who hasn't dreamt of taking a bat to your neighbour's lawnmower? You know the one who decides to mow the lawn every Sunday at 6 am? Or destroying the phone of the constant texter sitting beside you at the movie theatre?
Going further than simply highlighting annoying social behaviour the film also targets the responsibilities we have to art. During a visit to his local movie theatre, the husband cannot hold back his contempt for his fellow movie patrons due to their disrespectful and constant texting throughout the film. He erupts in a manifesto aimed at the disgusting dependency society has for personal technology and clinches his declaration with the film's most original and thought provoking line "F*-- the little screen! Respect the big screen!" Although the obvious cross-reference here is a humorous series of genuine bad luck scenarios, a la John Hughes, specifically Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I was reminded of another possible parallel, Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis' screenplay Groundhog Day. In it Bill Murray stars as Phil Connors, a reporter who goes on assignment in small town Pittsburgh and finds himself stuck in a time loop, where he must repeat the same day over and over. Even though Mourning has Broken only takes place during one day, there is a similar tone to the characters. Both are lost, angry and reacting in ways that are heightened and extreme.
The creator's, Brett and Jason Butler, whose work includes the quirky and dark Confusions of an Unmarried Couple, have definitely struck a nice balance with this film. Their signature witty dialogue and observational humour still dominate but it is more refined and nicely juxtaposed against a character who is experiencing true heartbreak.
The film's pinnacle and most beautiful scene takes place in a record store. As the main character sits in a private listening booth, he allows his sadness, a sadness he has carried throughout the day, to finally be released. The direction is simple yet brilliant; a tight shot of Nolan's expressive face as the reality of his broken heart inevitable overcomes him.
Nolan's performance strikes the perfect chord, a delicate mix of grief, anger and acceptance. The rawness of the shot along with Nolan's beautiful vulnerability is unbelievably intimate and ultimately haunting. This grief is the heart of the film, and fundamentally what allows us to connect to and understand the husband's insane behaviour.
Mourning has Broken is a meditation on life, love and the kinds of social responsibilities we have. Such an uncommonly intelligent yet hilarious film does not often get made, especially for a thousand dollars. The Cat Steven's Christian hymn, Morning has Broken (an obvious allusion to the title), states that we should "praise every morning". This film is a fable, like I mentioned earlier, and the moral of this delightful story is: We never know what might come in the new day, so live and love as though it were your last. Also, don't be a douche bag, because you never know the emotional state of the person in the parking spot next to you, and maybe, just maybe, they might punch you in the face.
Robert Nolan stars, in another role showing that like Will Ferrell and Steve Martin he has dramatic gifts to equal his comedic talent. He plays a character simply named 'husband', a regular man, who loves his wife and enjoys cooking special meals for his beloved cat.
The film takes us through a day in the life of 'the husband' as he tries to complete a list of errands on his "to-do list", while also battling with the emotional weight of his terminally ill wife's condition. The Butler Brothers spin an exquisite tapestry of mundane daily upsets that try the husband's patience, heart and sanity. These upsets range from simple annoyances such as bad drivers, poorly designed packaging, and pushy sales associates to larger social issues such as disrespect of art, dependency on technology, and poor social skills. The husband's delicate emotional state becomes the driving comedic engine of the film as his heightened reactions are secretly what many of us long to do. Who hasn't dreamt of taking a bat to your neighbour's lawnmower? You know the one who decides to mow the lawn every Sunday at 6 am? Or destroying the phone of the constant texter sitting beside you at the movie theatre?
Going further than simply highlighting annoying social behaviour the film also targets the responsibilities we have to art. During a visit to his local movie theatre, the husband cannot hold back his contempt for his fellow movie patrons due to their disrespectful and constant texting throughout the film. He erupts in a manifesto aimed at the disgusting dependency society has for personal technology and clinches his declaration with the film's most original and thought provoking line "F*-- the little screen! Respect the big screen!" Although the obvious cross-reference here is a humorous series of genuine bad luck scenarios, a la John Hughes, specifically Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I was reminded of another possible parallel, Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis' screenplay Groundhog Day. In it Bill Murray stars as Phil Connors, a reporter who goes on assignment in small town Pittsburgh and finds himself stuck in a time loop, where he must repeat the same day over and over. Even though Mourning has Broken only takes place during one day, there is a similar tone to the characters. Both are lost, angry and reacting in ways that are heightened and extreme.
The creator's, Brett and Jason Butler, whose work includes the quirky and dark Confusions of an Unmarried Couple, have definitely struck a nice balance with this film. Their signature witty dialogue and observational humour still dominate but it is more refined and nicely juxtaposed against a character who is experiencing true heartbreak.
The film's pinnacle and most beautiful scene takes place in a record store. As the main character sits in a private listening booth, he allows his sadness, a sadness he has carried throughout the day, to finally be released. The direction is simple yet brilliant; a tight shot of Nolan's expressive face as the reality of his broken heart inevitable overcomes him.
Nolan's performance strikes the perfect chord, a delicate mix of grief, anger and acceptance. The rawness of the shot along with Nolan's beautiful vulnerability is unbelievably intimate and ultimately haunting. This grief is the heart of the film, and fundamentally what allows us to connect to and understand the husband's insane behaviour.
Mourning has Broken is a meditation on life, love and the kinds of social responsibilities we have. Such an uncommonly intelligent yet hilarious film does not often get made, especially for a thousand dollars. The Cat Steven's Christian hymn, Morning has Broken (an obvious allusion to the title), states that we should "praise every morning". This film is a fable, like I mentioned earlier, and the moral of this delightful story is: We never know what might come in the new day, so live and love as though it were your last. Also, don't be a douche bag, because you never know the emotional state of the person in the parking spot next to you, and maybe, just maybe, they might punch you in the face.
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