Breaking Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Breaking Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 9, 2022

“Breaking” takes its inspiration from a 2018 article (written by Aaron Gell) about the saga of Brian Brown-Easley. An ex-military man struggling with financial issues while dealing with the Department of Veteran Affairs, Brian reached the end of his rope, looking to trigger a reaction from a system that continually ignored his concerns. He achieved this by entering a Wells Fargo location, threatening to blow it up with an explosive device in his backpack, only demanding the money promised to him by the system. It’s a true story handed a dramatic reworking in “Breaking,” with John Boyega tasked with creating a human being beyond the headlines, capturing Brian’s boiling frustrations as he reaches for extremity to solve some of his problems. Co-writer/director Abi Damaris Corbin (co-scripting with Kwame Kwei-Armah) tries to make something cinematic with the endeavor, amplifying tension and focusing on powerful performances. She also hopes to work in reminders of systemic failures and humiliations, using Brian’s story to identify how those who’ve been promised help are often left behind, forced to deal with the impenetrability of bureaucracy, adding another layer to this tale of a mental breakdown.

Brian (John Boyega) is struggling to maintain contact with his young daughter, Kiah (London Covington), trying to remain as much of a father figure as possible while his own life takes a grim turn. Out of money and options, Brian is fed-up with the Department of Veteran Affairs, which has refused to provide money to the ex-Marine, sending him through the system without resolving the issue. Without a brighter tomorrow, Brian elects to make today matter in a different way, soon entering a Wells Fargo bank, claiming he has a bomb in his backpack. The building is cleared, with manager Estel (Nicole Beharie) and employee Rosa (Selenis Leyva) left behind, studying Brian’s agitated state as they hope to be released before he does something drastic. A hostage situation commences, with Brian contacting local news reporter Lisa (Connie Britton) for help broadcasting his frustrations with the V.A., making one demand for the exact amount owed to him by the department. Entering the scene is negotiator Eli (Michael Kenneth Williams), who works to reason with Brian, trying to understand what brought the man to his breaking point.

“Breaking” doesn’t reveal Brian’s issues in full right away, with the screenplay offering small portions of pain throughout the feature, building to a greater understanding of his motivations. However, he’s clearly been roughed up over time, trying to keep himself together for the benefit of his daughter, hoping to gift her a puppy, and he tries to stay engaged with his ex, Cassandra (Olivia Washington), who’s raising their child. Monetary issues have bottomed out Brian, but he’s dealing with something profound concerning the V.A. system, electing to make a stand inside a bank, revealing to Rosa that he’s carrying a bomb, but strangely making sure she understands he has no intention of killing anyone but himself.

A standoff commences in “Breaking,” finding Brian trying to broadcast his demands, looking to get through to 911, only to face a glacial response time. Eventually, Brian connects with the news, sharing his experiences with Lisa, who tries to shape a story out of their conversation. Most of “Breaking” takes place inside the bank, with Rosa scared stiff, unable to physically move around a potentially dangerous man. Estel is equally terrified, but she has a family to go home to, making sure to keep the bomber pacified while trying to understand his headspace. Brian’s mental state is open for inspection, managing surges of paranoia and discussing conspiracy theories, with the writing offering insights into his behavior without getting into rants and showy dialogue. There’s just enough to grasp the storm raging inside the character, and Corbin provides visual reminders of his agitated state, offering glimpses of his military duty and dealings with the V.A., facing a system that doesn’t care about his seemingly easily solvable issue. Brian is after something very specific in “Breaking,” and while the screenplay doesn’t become a mystery, it manages to generate suspense from physical threats and gradual reveals of anger.

Breaking Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a crisp look at facial surfaces, with cinematography exploring emotive acting and elements of wear and tear. Costuming is fibrous, and interiors examine bank decoration and architecture. Exteriors are limited, but retain depth. Colors handle well, offering a warmer sense of outdoor activity and a colder feel for bank hostilities and police actions. Clothing secures richer primaries, along with bank signage. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression issues are periodically present, with banding detected. Some blockiness as well.

Breaking Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix offers a crisp understanding of dialogue exchanges, capturing intense dramatic performances without slipping into distortive extremes. Hushed encounters are equally appreciable. Scoring supports with sharp instrumentation and emphasis, carrying gently into the surrounds, which also provide modest atmospherics. More active events, such as helicopter flybys and police action, also offer circular engagement. Low-end emerges with violent activity, but it's not challenged in full.

Breaking Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this release.

Breaking Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Negotiation activity takes over the second half of "Breaking," with Eli laboring to connect with Brian, getting to the root of his issue while police prepare to kill the man, surrounding the building with snipers. The picture starts to bite off a little more than it can chew in the final act, managing law enforcement horrors and V.A. red tape, but the core message of hopelessness is preserved, studying Brian as he works up the energy to achieve the impossible. Performances are uniformly impressive, with Boyega perhaps the best he's even been here, and Beharie makes her moments count as Estel is forced to deal with the reality of the standoff. "Breaking" benefits from such thespian force, helping Corbin to create a pressure cooker environment while still tending to the delicate details of agony that inspired Brian's troubling decision.