The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureMovie reviews

Broken

Broken | Movie review
24 January 2013
Conor Nyhan
Avatar
Conor Nyhan
24 January 2013

Adapted from Daniel Clay’s novel, Broken follows the trials and tribulations of a young girl, coarsely named Skunk (newcomer Eloise Laurence), as she approaches her teenage years and faces all manner of adversities, from relationships to intimate family dynamics. Broken is a multi-layered story, rich with conviction and featuring an excellent ensemble cast.

After witnessing an appalling, violent attack on her mentally disabled neighbour, Skunk’s perception of the world is altered dramatically and a spiral of events unfold, drastically affecting her and those around her. As this happens, the lives of two other families (the conservative Buckleys and the menacing Oswalds) descend into despair and tragedy. Whilst this may sound like the typical Mike Leigh kitchen sink slice of real misery, the tone of the film shifts from tragic to comic in a delicately woven pattern that doesn’t tamper with the film’s essence. In fact, very few films have been able to juggle emotions from one extreme to the other in the way that Broken has.

Despite the overly dramatic (and somewhat clichéd) climax of the film, Broken is ultimately a story about family and the disarray of communities in Britain. All of the characters are played with confidence and determination (especially Tim Roth, who, after major misfires, is finally choosing his roles with more thought). Ultimately, Broken is hilarious and heart-wrenching, and most importantly it is a film brimming with pathos.

★★★★★

Conor Nyhan

Broken is released in select cinemas on 8th March 2013.

Watch the trailer for Broken here:

Related Itemsreview

More in Movie reviews

The Race to Save the World

★★★★★
Oliver Johnston
Read More

The Mitchells vs the Machines

★★★★★
Emma-Jane Betts
Read More

Arlo the Alligator Boy

★★★★★
Mae Trumata
Read More

Ride or Die

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Chadwick Boseman: In Honour of An Artist

Andrew Murray
Read More

Ip Man: Kung Fu Master

★★★★★
Jim Compton-Hall
Read More

For the Sake of Vicious

★★★★★
Lilly Subbotin
Read More

I Blame Society

★★★★★
Ben Flanagan
Read More

Why Did You Kill Me?

★★★★★
Emma Kiely
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • London’s Michelin-starred restaurants open al fresco right now – and all those re-opening in May
    Food & Drinks
  • Cruise – Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Birdy at Wilton’s Music Hall Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Weezer with the LA Philharmonic and YOLA at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • A Splinter of Ice at Cheltenham Everyman Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Race to Save the World
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Motherhood Project: An interview with creator and curator Katherine Kotz
    Theatre
  • The Mitchells vs the Machines
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Shadow and Bone
    ★★★★★
    netflix
  • 50 Next unveils the new generation of food industry pioneers
    Food & Drinks
  • 50 Next unveils the new generation of food industry pioneers
    Food & Drinks
  • Arlo the Alligator Boy
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • London’s Michelin-starred restaurants open al fresco right now – and all those re-opening in May
    Food & Drinks
  • Campfire in Kings Cross: Two Tribes deliver everything you’ve been missing with a night of beer, BBQ and live music
    Food & Drinks
  • Live from the Barbican: Moses Boyd
    ★★★★★
    Live music
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

MTV Brand New for 2013: The Vaccines bring fresh indie rock to the Electric Ballroom | Live review
Di and Viv and Rose at Hampstead Theatre | Theatre review