Broken English (2007)

In the beginning Nora looks at her face in the mirror with tremendous sadness, trying to get ready to smile out there.

Later we see a a not very convinced Drea de Matteo listening to her husband's speech about love and marriage. Both of them (Nora and her friend) take medications (I don't think this is a coincidence in the movie) maybe Prozac? But nothing is solved, just like in real life, you live with your problems day after day.

Nora complains that she doesn't have luck with men but with Melvin she started complicating things for no reason and freaking out for the wrong reasons too. His face reflects awe when he witness so much unexpected drama. (the incident in the bakery is a good example) Is it random that he is French and she is American? I would like to think so.

The yoga, the pills, the drinking to relax, the thinking that sleeping with someone the first night will influence the outcome of a relationship, are all interesting and common events/thoughts that don't really make their lives better. One is married and the other one is not but yet, they are suffering. And this suffering, it seems to me that the movie suggests it, is not only related to the men, but to something withing themselves.

Fmovies: What's broken in this film is the part where there are two believable characters who do something interesting together. This film has trouble with both likability and credibility, perhaps because they seemingly stole their plot from the bowels of a fortune cookie. On the one hand, we're looking for love in all the wrong places. On the other hand, we're loving ourselves in order to be loved. And these tired little anecdotes... just ugh. For her part, the director compounds these weaknesses by not understanding how to flesh out a character. She stereotypes the mother. She mishandles the circumstances of romance. She cuts moments that would have helped with character motivation (see deleted scenes); instead, wasting time on a series of lousy, boring dates that fly from one farce of a scene to the next. Parker Posey's character is the only one that isn't totally flubbed by hastiness. The film takes care in describing the anxieties that can impound a state of 30-something loneliness. The rhythms of being single are incisive, and underscored by a range of thoughtful, sympathetic details. But again, this isn't a vignette or portraiture; it's a full- length feature film that lacks the sophistication to be romantic.

Parker Posey truly shines in this highly enjoyable romantic comedy fantasia. It takes a lot for me to post a review and I'm dragging my feet but something has to be said. Nora is a 30 something single girl who just can't seem to find Mr. Right. What makes this a cut above the rest are the several very true to life characters and scenes. From her disaster dating: insincere actor, man still in love with his ex, to interactions with her best friend and mother, the film feels genuine. It even for a few seconds seems to ponder that perhaps clinging to ideas of a soul mate are unrealistic and destructive. But then Melvil Poupand swoops in as a potential French love interest. He is the most unrealistic character of the film as he is basically, well, perfect. Mild mannered, gorgeous, attentive, passionate, and insightful. This stock character, Mr. Right/prince charming usually makes me grind my teeth in annoyance but with Mr. Poupand... mmmm delicious.... I make an exception as he is a delight to watch and ogle. His only fault it seems is he has to go back to Paris after a few days of love and romance with Parker Posey/Nora who then must make a decision if she should go to visit him. I won't reveal much else except to say that its a thoroughly enjoyable romp filled with comedy and surprisingly dramatic weight. It doesn't pander or get too corny which is very rare these days. Kudos to Drea De Matteo and Gena Rowlands as the best friend and mother who lend some spice to this tasty dish.

Broken English fmovies. I like Parker Posey, she is obviously a talented actress and (I like to fantasize) chooses a lot of roles in indie films. This movie is obviously something that meant a lot to the writer/director, because it is both detailed and nonlinear. However, I did not find it really interesting. Maybe because I am a guy and I am not American.

The story is about a neurotic New York woman, desperate to find true love, and finally stumbling on it by accident with a French guy. Their romance is not everything that happens in the film, though. You have to spend a lot of time following her failed relationships, both sentimental and at work, her pushy mother, the failing marriage of her best friend and a lot of other stuff. As a "life movie" how my parents called this kind of stories, it makes a good one, but not much of an attractive one. Or maybe I just didn't empathize with anyone in it.

Bottom line: solid direction and acting, but quite a bore of a script. Women might enjoy it more, but judging by the reaction of my wife, it takes a bit more than just gender.

It is a story that could have been very tired and cheesy but the script and acting made this one of the most superbly created film in modern day movie history.

The emotional nuances throughout the film was impeccably delivered by both Posey and Poupaud. Cassavetes achieves the perfect balance of emotion and understatement in the realistic yet hopeful portrayal of a woman's struggle with her own insecurities.

Melvil Poupaud however is the true gem of the film. His portrayal of Julien is masterfully executed and inexplicably touching. This movie is a rare find.

Zoe Cassavetes' "Broken English" is a comedy/drama about an attractive young woman who, through her neuroticism and emotional insecurities, keeps sabotaging her own happiness. Even though she works as a manager and troubleshooter at a trendy Manhattan hotel, Nora Wilder doesn't lead what one would call a particularly fulfilling life. Unable to make a lasting connection with any of the men she meets, Nora finds herself drifting from one meaningless encounter to another, a situation that only exacerbates her already deep-rooted fears and vulnerabilities.

In its structure, "Broken English" has a freeform looseness that keeps it from feeling over-plotted and contrived. And while there are times when the movie seems to be serving up pretty much the same scene over and over again, Posey's winsomeness and charm make us care about the character. In fact, without her, the movie would be considerably less compelling than it is. She manages to make a likable figure out of a character who might otherwise be seen as excessively whiny and self-pitying. And even though the mood of the film is generally light and playfully ironic, there is some genuine pain in the story as well, as Nora struggles with the very real issues of loneliness, panic attacks and depression.

The actress receives impressive support from Drea de Matteo ("The Sopranos"), Peter Bogdanovich, Gena Rowlands, Justin Theroux and Melvil Poupaud, but the movie is Posey's all the way.