Not Easily Broken (D+ or 1.5/4 stars)
A freak automobile accident & shifting affections test the bond btwn. a black married couple in 'Not Easily Broken', directed by Bill Duke. Are they meant to be together? And if so, how do they fight to prevent their vows from being easily broken? Ehh, this movie just didn't do it for me. The actors are fine. But the story itself is a little bit too preachy for my liking. Not only that, it is transparent, obvious, predictable, cliched, & creates a host of unlikeable characters whom we are supposed to eventually 'feel' for. I didn't buy it.
The movie chronicles a couple's love, strife & faith in one another (against some clear obstacles). 14 yrs. into their marriage, Dave (Morris Chestnut) thought he'd be in a different/better place. His dreams of a major league baseball career were dashed by a college injury; leading him to a boring career in construction. Meanwhile, his wife, Clarice (Taraji P. Henson), gets to prosper as a real estate star; their marriage revolves around her success. Because of this, she does not pay him the necessary attention one needs. He wants a child, she doesn't. He likes coaching a little league-styled baseball club. She complains that he isn't home enough "for her". Clearly, there's a disconnect. And things go from bad to worse when Clarice is seriously injured in a car accident. Her mother blames Dave. And a physical therapist, Julie (Maeve Quinlan), is called-in to help heal Clarice. Tensions rise, attractions become apparent, & Julie's compassionate, nurturing presence will make Dave reconsider his vows ... and I don't blame him.
But that's just it. They may have been in love 14, 15, 16, yrs. ago, but it doesn't seem that way now. Clarice is a nagging crow. Her domineering mother detests Dave. And I don't blame Dave for looking elsewhere for love. Instead, the film implausibly resolves all issues btwn. the married couple & wraps it up with a pretty bow for us. Well, I didn't want the bow. I wanted realism. And that's not what I got. Taraji P. Henson is a good actress, but I did not believe her character arc. Morris Chestnut is very impressive as the conflicted Dave. And Jenifer Lewis is believably scathing as his mother-in-law; I prefer her in the funny Tyler Perry flicks.
The acting isn't the problem. I did not believe the character arcs, I did not care for the story, nor its stance on sticking out a bad marriage because God deems it so. Another thing: there's a tragedy that occurs near the end of the film that was completely uncalled for & needlessly sad. And as mentioned, the conclusion just feels 'wrong' within the context of the plot ... how it begins & how it evolves does not match-up with the ending. 'Not Easily Broken' fails because, no matter what the script preaches, it's pretty clear (to me) that these 2 individuals should not be together. The movie did not achieve, in my mind, what it set out to prove.
The movie chronicles a couple's love, strife & faith in one another (against some clear obstacles). 14 yrs. into their marriage, Dave (Morris Chestnut) thought he'd be in a different/better place. His dreams of a major league baseball career were dashed by a college injury; leading him to a boring career in construction. Meanwhile, his wife, Clarice (Taraji P. Henson), gets to prosper as a real estate star; their marriage revolves around her success. Because of this, she does not pay him the necessary attention one needs. He wants a child, she doesn't. He likes coaching a little league-styled baseball club. She complains that he isn't home enough "for her". Clearly, there's a disconnect. And things go from bad to worse when Clarice is seriously injured in a car accident. Her mother blames Dave. And a physical therapist, Julie (Maeve Quinlan), is called-in to help heal Clarice. Tensions rise, attractions become apparent, & Julie's compassionate, nurturing presence will make Dave reconsider his vows ... and I don't blame him.
But that's just it. They may have been in love 14, 15, 16, yrs. ago, but it doesn't seem that way now. Clarice is a nagging crow. Her domineering mother detests Dave. And I don't blame Dave for looking elsewhere for love. Instead, the film implausibly resolves all issues btwn. the married couple & wraps it up with a pretty bow for us. Well, I didn't want the bow. I wanted realism. And that's not what I got. Taraji P. Henson is a good actress, but I did not believe her character arc. Morris Chestnut is very impressive as the conflicted Dave. And Jenifer Lewis is believably scathing as his mother-in-law; I prefer her in the funny Tyler Perry flicks.
The acting isn't the problem. I did not believe the character arcs, I did not care for the story, nor its stance on sticking out a bad marriage because God deems it so. Another thing: there's a tragedy that occurs near the end of the film that was completely uncalled for & needlessly sad. And as mentioned, the conclusion just feels 'wrong' within the context of the plot ... how it begins & how it evolves does not match-up with the ending. 'Not Easily Broken' fails because, no matter what the script preaches, it's pretty clear (to me) that these 2 individuals should not be together. The movie did not achieve, in my mind, what it set out to prove.