SCORE: 9.2/10

"There was no bomb". Heartbreaking words. This was a simple, well executed true story about a man named Brian Brown-Easley, played by John Boyega. The story speaks for itself, but John Boyega elevates it to a different level with his performance. Apparently, the film was originally called 892 and then later changed to Breaking, which I appreciate from a Marketing perspective, but after seeing it I really wish they would've kept the original title. $892.34. When Brian revealed that amount of money the VA owed him, a resounding laugh filled the theater, as the filmmaking presented an opportunity for people to find humor in the "small" amount of money he was willing to hold hostages for. This film taught many lessons, mainly not to mess with someone's money or livelihood, but the response of the people around me made me realize just how privileged people are. $892.34 may be a laughable amount to some people, but when living paycheck to paycheck, any sum of money could be the difference between living a normal life and homelessness.

One of the biggest things our world lacks today is empathy. Empathy requires the ability to stop thinking about oneself and put oneself in someone else's shoes. One of the things I absolutely loved about this film was how many different perspectives the audience member was able to have throughout the course of the movie. Whether it was from the vantage point of the bank employees, the authorities, Brian's family, or even Brian himself, the film did a great job of keeping me on the edge of my seat thinking about what was going on and where it was going to lead. Brian may have been the nicest bank robber I've seen in any movie, and the occasional jokes thrown in there pretty much all hit and didn't feel forced.

Lastly, I don't really have much experience with the Military or Veterans, but it broke my heart for the last thing to pop up on the screen to see that his family still did not receive the money. Not only that, but of course we discover the fate of Brian, as he was shot and killed by a sniper bullet. The man who shot the bullet was advised not to, but took matter into his own hands and was found not guilty, as he acted within the law. Anytime a movie is based on a true story, it gives me the opportunity to research after about things in the story that were true and things that were hyperbolized for the sake of cinema. At first glance, it looks like almost all of it was accurate, and the outfit used for John Boyega was almost copied exactly from the security footage the day of the real event.

As I've said many times about one-location films in the past, they can be very hit or miss for me. When done well, they're some of my favourites, but one that's not engaging can also just be boring from start to finish. Breaking is one of the latest films to basically take place in one location, and while it may not be the best one I've ever seen, it's still one of the best films I've seen this year. Breaking is so well-crafted that the run time felt non-existent to me. Here are some of the many reasons I believe this film deserves way more attention than it's getting.

Based on a true story, this film follows Brian Brown-Easley (John Boyega) as he returns from war and tries to become a regular citizen again. Having to deal with not being paid what he's owed for his trauma/disability, he decides to try and publically get himself heard by holding up a bank. The majority of the film takes place in a bank, with just himself and two bank tellers. He is not a bad person in the slightest which makes the film that much more compelling. There were multiple sequences where I forgot I was even watching a film and that's due to how good John Boyega sold this performance.

I've always been a fan of his since Attack the Block and have also enjoyed him in the Star Wars franchise, as well as Detroit, but this is easily the best he's ever been. You can tell he was passionate about this project and the story being told and it very much shows on-screen. From the subtleties he brought to the character to the downright powerful lines of dialogue he says throughout the film, he kept my eyes glued to the screen. I had no idea how this story played out in real life either, so I was floored by the time the credits rolled. It's an eye-opening experience.

In the end, the pacing, overall message, great editing, and amazing central performance all sold this film for me. Having not directed much before this, Abi Damaris Corbin is someone I will always be on the lookout for, from here on out. Her work here and the performances she was able to get out of everyone involved just blew me away. Breaking is a special kind of film that has kind of gone under the radar, but I believe it's worthy of much more buzz. I personally believe Boyega deserves some award consideration for this film, but I don't know if he will be recognized. Aside from a couple of scenes that I felt were needed to flesh out a couple of things more, this movie completes its mission of impacting its audience.

When you have a writer, producer and director with only a handful of short-films experience, trying to make a full length 103 min film that can captivate and hold your attention for the entire time, can be a huge undertaking.

This is the case with filmmaker Abi Damaris Corbin, who did great in capturing the tension and suspense, but sadly for a very small part of the film. There's a huge missed opportunity for more much needed narrative and complexity, that instead plays out like a cliched, understated and underwhelming meandering story.

Many scenes are overly dragged out and unnecessary, felling more like filler than substance. If you watch the trailer, then add the last 10 minutes of the ending, you've pretty much watched the entire film. Everything else, especially the narrative with Boyega's character and his daughter, feels like unnecessary filler.

The rest of the film feels thin and distracting of the true elements of conflict that needed a better exposition. Some parts also felt rushed and unfinished; an example is how and why the sniper took the shot. Everyone knows there's a hierarchy before that trigger is pulled, and the subsequent events that follow. Instead, it just randomly happens without cause, justification or explanation, and that just fails the entire narrative of the main conflict.

However, Corbin's cast direction was perfect in capturing the impeccable performances by all cast members, especially Boyega. The cinematography and score were excellent, and although the pacing was very slow, she succeeded in creating a constant suspenseful tone throughout the majority of the film.

If you're patient and can sit through some irrelevant narrative, this film is a decent, albeit forgettable one-time watch. It's a 6/10 from me.