"Broken" is a character driven drama revolving around an aspiring musician who can't seem to make the right choices. Hope is determined to become a rock star, leaving Cleveland in order to pursue her dream. Then, she meets Will, a genuine and not to mention handsome young man. On the surface, he's everything a woman could want in a guy, but it isn't long before Hope is drawn into Will's world of drugs and negative influences, tearing her farther and farther from her dreams.
Eventually, she is determined to escape Will's grasp in order to put herself above such a wasted lifestyle. However, haunted by memories and the mere image of his face, Hope finds herself unable to restrain herself from going back.
The significant message in "Broken" displays how the wrong influences can lead us to an utter dead end. White's direction is fantastic. He uses every angle to his advantage in order to grasp the environment, giving the viewer a sense of unawareness and unfamiliarity. The mood is dark which proves to be vastly effective within various scenes.
The biggest problem the film runs into is a lack of originality. Sure, "Broken" takes a moderately different route than such similar films including "Requiem for a Dream" or "The Basketball Diaries", but it still plays on the general idea of how easy it is for a person to destroy their life with drugs and other negative factors. Nevertheless, the story is extremely engaging and brilliantly executed clear through the film's unexpected, jaw-dropping climax.
Our headlining stars, Graham and Sisto are sensational. They deliver incredible performances, portraying extremely well developed characters that are undeniably realistic to say the very least. Linda Hamilton doesn't get much screen time, but she does exceptionally well with her role.
In the end, "Broken" is a gritty, honest portrayal of one's loss of self dignity. The story is compelling, the direction is mesmerizing, the cinematography is visually stunning and the acting is superb. "Broken" is a must see film, an inspiring work of art that shouldn't be missed!
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BROKEN