John Boyega Shines in Gripping New Thriller "Breaking" (Movie Review)

It is no secret how rampant homelessness is among veterans in this country The US Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that 13 of homeless adults are veterans HUD also estimates that over 40000 veterans are homeless on any given night struggling to find employment affordable housing and healthcare while many cope with mental illness and the longterm effects of combat injuries From director Abi Damaris Corbin and screenwriter Kwame KweiArmah Breaking artfully tackles this subject with tact aplomb and a steady hand to recount the final days of a troubled Marine who demanded his struggle and that of thousands of fellow veterans be told nationwideBreaking on an article from Task ampamp Purpose titled They Didnamp8217t Have to Kill Him a detailed recounting by Aaron Gell of the daylong standoff that began when former United States Marine Brian BrownEasley Boyega pictured at top left desperate after not receiving the monthly disability check he depended on to survive entered a Wells Fargo bank in Marietta Georgia and informed a teller that he had a bomb in his backpack As depicted in the movie he calmly allowed the customers and staff to leave except for the two bank managers Estel and Rosa played by Nicole Baharie Sleepy Hollow and Selenis Levya Orange Is the New Black respectivelyAs BrownEasley threatens to blow up the bank vowing to injure no one but himself unless his demands are met hostage negotiator Eli Bernard arrives on the scene He is brilliantly portrayed by the late great Michael K Williams top right in his final film performance BrownEasley demands that everyone from the SWAT team to the firemen to and every broadcast news reporter covering the crisis witness what is happening He even goes as far as to call a local news producer played by Connie Britton giving a live account and telling his story to the massesBoyega displays BrownEasleyamp8217s desperation and exasperation with uncommon intensity expertly juggling the veteranamp8217s frustrated outbursts withamp160 calmer even tender moments with Estel and Rosa or while on the phone with his young daughter Williams handles the calm cool and collected demeanor of negotiator Bernard flawlessly taking on the characteramp8217s profession with ease yet there is a lasting tenseness behind his eyes as weamp8217re sure Bernard may have experienced similar negotiations going south very quicklyBoyega and Williams have excellent chemistry despite never appearing together on screen Their backandforth brings some slight moments of humor and levity throughout the tense thriller with Bernard establishing that as a fellow former Marine and Black man he too has faced hardships and ensuring BrownEasley that he is there to make sure he walks away from this aliveWith direction from Abi Damaris Corbin cinematography by Doug Emmett and editing by Chris Witt the three work as a complete unit to effectively tell this story seamlessly transitioning from the present to flashbacks of BrownEasleyamp8217s deployment and the events leading to the bank hold up The team also conveys how PTSD can manifest itself in a variety of ways not just from the often depicted crippling anxiety or wartime flashbacksDue to the actual events of the story coming to an abrupt halt the film similarly comes to a sudden yet impactful climax However it lingers on for a few more moments to show the effects that Brian BrownEasley had on all those involved in the hostage situation from law enforcement to the bank staff and his own family in the aftermathWhile Breaking could have easily fallen into an overdone heist thriller it instead provides a wonderfully handled characterdriven drama shedding light on the mistreatment of our veterans and the injustices against Black Americans a message that will stay with you far after the credits rollBreaking is now playing in theatres nationwideClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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John Boyega Shines in Gripping New Thriller "Breaking" (Movie Review)

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John Boyega Shines in Gripping New Thriller "Breaking" (Movie Review)

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