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Absolutely Fantastic

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The British independent film "Broken" broke through in the UK in 2012 with a quite a splash, winning a number of awards. The film however has sort of flown under the radar as it wasn't released in the US until last Summer by Film Movement. Its the dramatic coming of age story of an 11 year old girl affectionately named Skunk. She is played by first time actor Eloise Laurence, who gives a remarkably real and thoughtful performance. This is also the first feature film for director Rufus Norris.Skunk lives within a cul-de-sac in suburban London with her Dad Archie, played by Tim Roth, and older brother Jed. Her mother ran off with another man years back. They have a live in nanny, Kasia, who serves as a sort of mother or big sister figure. Cillian Murphy also puts forth a strong performance as Mike, Kasia's boyfriend and Skunk's crush. The stories of the three families within the cul-de-sac are all compelling and well integrated into Skunk's world. We open with Skunk talking to Rick, an older friend but mentally unstable neighbor, who out of nowhere get a savage beating from Mr. Oswald, the fiery father of a trio of foul mouthed daughters who are also without a mother.Adding to the many difficulties of adolescence, Skunk also has diabetes. She could be bitter and angry about her situation, but is very resilient and strong. She is adventurous, inquisitive and full of wonder, where as the girls next door are petty, vile, and just plain unpleasant. The two families are dealing with similar issue in very different ways. While the third family, Rick's Family, tries to keep to themselves and protect there son from the world. Rick is a volatile man child. He has a gentle and sweet exterior that fights with his inner rage and turmoil. After becoming to much of a handful for his parents to deal with he is put up in a hospital. Skunk see the good in him, the longing to be normal and accepted. The final 30 minutes will keep you on the edge of your seat with a an intensity that is hard to find. I know that sound a little clichéd, but the filmmakers took such care in developing the story and building its characters that the ending just works on every level. You won't be disappointed.

I found this movie on Netflix streaming movies online. With such seasoned actors as Tim Roth and a few others it seemed like a favorable risk. Overall I am glad I took the time. It is an ugly story in many parts, with several instances of bullying and beatings. But the young actress who stars as 11-yr-old "Skunk" is delightful, and I found out later, quite a good singer and song-writer.The primary setting is a cul-de-sac community in a middle class area of England. The neighbors live relatively close together and everyone seems to know everything that is going on.One resident is Tim Roth as Archie, a lawyer and a very nice man. His wife has run away and left him with a son and daughter. He has hired a lady to stay there and be the surrogate mom. The daughter is Eloise Laurence as Skunk. She and dad have a good relationship, but she is also the adventuresome sort. She finds an abandoned caravan out back and turns it into her playhouse.Another family in the cul-de-sac has a son, Robert Emms as Rick, seemingly nice but clearly with some deep emotional issues. Another nearby family have 3 daughters who are bullies, and every time they see Rick they openly tease him and agitate him badly, even in front of the parents. They also bully kids at school, including Skunk, to get their lunch money.The story gets a bit complex, there is teenage sex, false accusations, a hot-head father who beats people up and asks questions later. Through all this Skunk is trying to make sense of life and happiness. She manages, just barely. Good story and very tense at the end.SPOILERS: Skunk is a type 1 diabetic, has to monitor her blood sugar, and occasionally receive an insulin injection. One evening she goes to visit Rick, recently home from a stay in a hospital, and no one knows where she is. She begins going into a diabetic coma, dad finds her just in time, it is touch-N-go in the hospital, we even see a near death scene from her mind's eye, but then she "sees" dad and comes out of it, she goes on to live.

I won't review the storyline because other reviewers have done so beautifully already. I just want to say that this is an excellent film with superb acting, fantastic cinematography, a complex and interesting storyline, and an emotional draw that sucks you into the lives of these characters.I felt like I was there, in this cul-de-sac in England, with these families who were living, laughing, loving, and struggling in so many ways.Film buffs will appreciate the creative eye of the director and the perfect combination of setting, set design, costume, acting, score, and cinematography.

'Broken' is an excellent example of just how good British drama films/series can be when they are done right. The film is straight to the point and develops at a good pace with lots of different things going on between the various characters.There is a lot of characters in this film (3 different families who are all neighbours) and we see how their lives are affected by various going ons. This film really doesn't hold back, some of the scenes and subjects will be uncomfortable for some viewers. I really didn't like the Oswald family but the story really wouldn't have worked without them.I really liked how parts of this film where done, we would see something happen unexpectedly and then it would flashback to show the build up to it from a different perspective. The story linked together really well. It is very engaging although some parts are unrealistic.The acting in this film was nothing short of superb from everyone. There was a lot of familiar faces but the star of the show has to be Eloise Laurence who made her acting debut in the lead role as Skunk.It's a shame this film probably won't get the recognition it deserves due to it being relatively unheard of. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good dram film, you won't be disappointed.8/10.