BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN REVIEWED
“Beautifully Broken” packs a lot of story in a movie that never cracks two hours. It’s yet another Christian oriented film that plays rather softer than the last couple I’ve watched. The movie is a family tale about how the world might be cold, yet it brings the best of us together. Still, there’s something about what I saw that tug at my brain. I’m trying to be fair, but you had to have known there was something that was going to irritate me.
The film uses the Rwandan genocide to spur the film’s main action. The Mwizerwa flees Rwanda for the safety of a Kenyan Refugee Camp. Mister Mwizerwa hears of a group that is offering to send refugees to America, but the father has to go first to set it all up. When William Mwizerwa ends up in America, he automatically comes across a local family with their own troubles. It’s fairly typical, but the American dad Randy Hartley starts to force his family’s issues immediately upon the refugee.
Naturally, the refugee smiles and offers help. But, what is to be done about the young Hartley daughter that suddenly disobeys her mother and father? Well, she’s also a pen pal with a young girl in Kenya that happens to be William’s daughter. If you can handle that, then the rest of the film will be a breeze. At this point, we’re nearly 40-50 minutes into the movie and I keep waiting for Bagger Vance to show up and teach Randy about the magic of golf.
But, that’s a think-piece for another time. Also, what is Eric Roberts doing in this movie? I get the guy from Good Will Hunting showing up and the bit role for Michael W. Smith. However, I don’t understand why Eric Roberts is showing up in every 6th film I see anymore. Roberts does his best, but ultimately it’s pretty inconsequential. What matters is that this one refugee family has the power to bring all of America together.
I get the Biblical implications of having a refugee family understand their faith in the face of conflict. However, everything with the American family feels crass and bordering on near satire. The central Africans impacted by genocide are losing everything in their world. But, the American parents can’t get through to their daughter. It’s not quite the same thing and making the refugees emotional & spiritual tools to the upper-class white family feels super weird.
But, it’s incredibly well shot. I see so many Christian-oriented films that look like they were shot by weekend commercial crews. Considering that this film is a first-time feature debut from a director stuns me. Make sure that you see it in a theater. I know that some of you won’t, but that’s OK. Send your parents in your stead.
FILM STATS
- 1 hr and 48 mins
- PG-13
- ArtEffects Entertainment