Breaking (film)
Breaking | |
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Directed by | Abi Damaris Corbin |
Screenplay by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Doug Emmett |
Edited by | Chris Witt |
Music by | Michael Abels |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Bleecker Street |
Release dates |
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Running time | 103 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Breaking (originally titled 892) is a 2022 American thriller drama film written and directed by Abi Damaris Corbin and co-written by Kwame Kwei-Armah. The film stars John Boyega, Michael K. Williams, Nicole Beharie and Connie Britton.
Plot[edit]
Based on the real life story of the late Brian Brown-Easley, a former Marine Corps veteran in financial trouble. Easley is concerned over the effects of this on his daughter alongside the prospects of homelessness to the point of robbing a Wells Fargo Bank with a bomb threat in 2017.[1][2]
Cast[edit]
- John Boyega as Lance Corporal Brian Brown-Easley
- Michael K. Williams as Eli Bernard
- Nicole Beharie as Estel Valerie
- Robb Derringer as Chief Jack Quail
- Selenis Leyva as Rosa Diaz
- Connie Britton as Lisa Larson
- Olivia Washington as Cassandra Easley
- Jeffrey Donovan as Major Riddick
- London Covington as Kiah Brown-Easley
Production[edit]
On March 2, 2021, it was announced that Jonathan Majors will play a Marine war veteran who suffers from mental scars, and his hard transition back to civilian life.[3] On July 8, 2021, it was reported that John Boyega replaced Majors due to a scheduling conflict with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.[4] On August 30, 2021, it was confirmed that Connie Britton joined the cast.[5]
Principal photography began on July 6, 2021, and was scheduled to conclude on August 16, 2021, in Los Angeles, California.[6]
Release[edit]
It premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival under its original title, 892, on January 21, 2022, where the cast won the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast in the U.S. Dramatic Competition.[7] On February 1, 2022, Bleecker Street acquired the film's US distribution rights.[8][9]
Reception[edit]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 78% of 60 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.50/10. The website's consensus reads, "Breaking struggles to effectively convey its messages, but its noble intentions are well served by John Boyega's electrifying performance." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Deadline said, "Corbin is firmly in control behind the camera and with particular expert help with her editor Chris Witt. The British actor Boyega is superb in every aspect of the role, as is the commanding presence of the late Williams in what sadly is his final film role."[10]
Variety said, "This is not an act of documentary reenactment so much as a tense, speculative drama, imagining what this man must have gone through during those hours, and how his actions rippled out to affect others’ lives."[11]
Accolades[edit]
- 2022 Sundance Film Festival: Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast in the U.S. Dramatic Competition.[12]
References[edit]
- ^ 892 Image Features John Boyega in Brian Brown-Easley Biopic - Collider
- ^ 892 Review: John Boyega Revisits a Tragic True Story - Collider
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 2, 2021). "Jonathan Majors To Star In Marine War Vet Feature '892'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
- ^ Kit, Borys (July 8, 2021). "John Boyega to Star in Indie Drama '892' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 30, 2021). "Connie Britton Boards Salmira Productions Indie Drama Thriller '892'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production - 892". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (December 9, 2021). "Sundance 2022: Hybrid Festival Sees Princess Diana, Michael Kenneth Williams, Dakota Johnson, Bill Cosby, NYC Rock'n'Roll & Regina Hall Fill Lineup". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ Bleecker Street Nabs U.S. Rights To Thriller ‘892’ Starring John Boyega & The Late Michael K. Williams – Sundance
- ^ '892' With John Boyega and Michael K. Williams Acquired by Bleecker Street|The Wrap
- ^ Hammond, Pete. "Sundance Review: John Boyega And Michael Kenneth Williams In '892'". Deadline. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
- ^ Debruge, Peter. "'892' Review: A Bank Robbery Makes a Statement in This Indie True-Crime Story". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (December 9, 2021). "Sundance 2022: Hybrid Festival Sees Princess Diana, Michael Kenneth Williams, Dakota Johnson, Bill Cosby, NYC Rock'n'Roll & Regina Hall Fill Lineup". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
External links[edit]
- Breaking at IMDb
- Breaking at Rotten Tomatoes
- 2022 films
- English-language films
- American films
- American war drama films
- American war thriller films
- 2022 thriller drama films
- Sundance Film Festival award winners
- Bleecker Street films
- Films set in the 2010s
- Films set in 2017
- African-American films
- Drama films based on actual events
- Films scored by Michael Abels