Breaking and Entering Review: Out of Order
December 11th, 2006 in Movies, Reviews
Whatever happened to Anthony Minghella? A literature graduate (there’s hope for me yet) who became a promising playwright, he went on to direct the Oscar behemoth The English Patient. And while it faced many a dig from Joe Average regarding its length and pace, it nevertheless remained an epic, probably too classical for modern tastes. The Talented Mr. Ripley was an excellent follow up. The less said about Cold Mountain the better, although some of its episodes were striking. Through these films, one couldn’t help but feel Minghella is a reincarnated David Lean. But Minghella’s new film is a more intimate affair, and in the Lean scheme of things, a career mistake.
Breaking and Entering is the tale of Will, a free-space architect who, with his partner, moves office to the run-down area of King’s Cross, London. His office is repeatedly robbed, led by misguided brat Miro. Miro and his mother Amira live nearby, refugees from Sarajavo. Will’s life is not a happy one. He feels a chasm is forming between him and partner Liv’s demanding relationship with her autistic daughter. When staying up to avoid his family problems and to find the thief, Will trails Miro to his home, and ends up getting a bit naughty with Amira.
Forgive my lack of enthusiasm in outlining this muddled plot. For the film, in all Minghella’s endeavours to be genuine, to write from the heart, is an utter bore. Its attempts to delve into the world of two social classes feels like a British soap opera in all ways besides looks.
The cast are quite adequate. Juliette Binoche continues her range as representing all of Europe. Martin Freeman provides the mildly comic moments as Will’s partner. And Jude Law as Will… well he doesn’t really have to act much, considering his recent indiscretion.
But in the end, the real problem is that Minghella seems to be attempting to create a real, gritty drama, about real, gritty people. Pity the Lean-esque cinematography is so nice as to detract from the harsh reality of the story. Plus, Minghella’s script is radiating with the blind liberal twaddle of someone utterly detached from reality. In his posh loft view on life, hookers return expensive cars to their owners to prove a point (as per the film’s sub-plot). Thieves have hearts of gold. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying every resident of King’s Cross is a despicable person, but this film is full of good-natured clichés, where people do the right thing, that it‘s utterly impossible to stomach. Well, Mr. Minghella should have done the right thing and flung this script in the bin.
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