The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Blistering performances.

I found this movie very moving. All the actors including the young girl were very unforgettable. However, I was confused with all the flashbacks, too many of it. The most confusing flashback was about the ambulance etc., which was introduced way too early into the film. I simply got lost there. However, will look forward to watching more Belgian films.Krishna

The movie is beautifully done. Every emotion comes naturally nothing is forced. You appreciate the subtle script lines. There is enough conflict, passion, and love for you to move with the characters through the plot. *******************************************Spoiler****************** **********The ending is not your conventional love story ending. However, it is original and authentic. I will not guarantee that you will love it but you will be moved one way or another. The tragedy builds up the character and eventually the plot. Action is character. *******************************************Spoiler****************** ********** It will make you appreciate BlueGrass Music. It is quite underrated for how powerful the movie is. It's a movie that progresses without any of the characters saying "I love you". It's spoken in action and stares. Action is character. For every fallout they have in words there actions are always 'speaking their true intentions'The title is The broken Circle Breakdown which sounds redundant but it describes the movies chronological order. We cycle through the events. We go back then forward then back. The cycle is broken until it breaks down. If you let it be, this movie could redefine your enjoyment for the subtle things

So many things wrong with this film. Where to start? The script is weak to begin with and I'm surprised that so many people worked on something that resulted in this mess. Maybe too many cooks? Perhaps. When you see the director writing the script, you start to wonder a little, but when the lead actor has a hand in the script, it's a serious red flag.For one, they could've cut it better. The story does not need to be linear. For example, they could've shown a flashback of Elise moving furniture out, making us think that she's moving out, only to reveal that she's making room for the baby's room. Then show us the current time of Elise really moving out. Smart editing tricks like that. Events that trigger flashbacks and past-present parallels.Then there are inexplicable things in this film. Didier rants about the US cutting spending on stem-cell research. Elise should've just told him that the US is not obligated to save a Belgian baby or spend money on cancer research. It is their country and their money. It doesn't matter what their reasoning is, whether it is Jesus or Santa. Europe is not a third world backwater. Elise should've told Didier that if he wants to research stem cells, he should perhaps study science rather than play in a band.The child's battle with cancer is not explored. The child faced a dead-end with treatment. We could've seen something like this:It would be better for the film to show something like this: Child: "I'm done. I want out. I can't take this anymore.. I won't get better." Dad: "How do you know you won't get better? You don't know that." Child: "The same way you know there is no God. I just do."Didier wants his child to keep on believing and hoping when there is no doubt that death was imminent. Show him as a hypocrite who wants the child to believe in an unrealistic and impossible future but not an afterlife. If the child shouldn't believe in a life after death then how would she believe in ever seeing an 18th birthday when science says that won't happen? Didier's hypocrisy is never explored.The parents' blame game was not explained. When Elise screams at Didier for his family having cancer genes he says nothing. He doesn't tell her "I told you I didn't want a baby. You insisted." This is all true, so why didn't he say it? She wanted a baby with a man with cancer genes. He told her he didn't want one. How can she yell at him for the child getting cancer?Elise, the mother, drank and smoked while she was pregnant. Didier started drinking heavily near the end of the pregnancy and when Elise was in labor. Why not show these things? Why do we get this information through dialogue?The news shown in the background could've been handled much better. In this film we first see news of 9/11 and the war on terror, which Didier ignored. Then we see the ban on stem-cell research which incensed Didier. It's too contrived. Didier's kid gets cancer, there's no hope but stem-cell research, then he turns on the TV and guess what? Bush banned stem-cell research. What are the chances?A better way of showing all these things is to simply rearrange them. We see the war on terror and Didier is indifferent because it doesn't affect him. We then see Bush ban stem-cell research on the news and Didier is indifferent again because his kid doesn't have cancer and this means nothing to him. Then he hears of stem- cell research and discovers that it has been halted. Then he gets angry. Then subsequent news about the war in Afghanistan or Iraq would incense him even more, than money goes to death rather than saving lives. Make him a hypocrite, make him flawed. He didn't care about the halting of stem-cell research or the wars before, now it's all he talks about. The rearrangement would've told a better story without adding anything new.But the film is clearly on the side of Didier, rather than a neutral look at the situation. The conflict between secularism and atheism in this film is not linear. Didier is angry at the Catholic church and certain American denominations (condoms, abortion, stem-cell research) but takes out his anger at his wife who believes in her own religion of reincarnation (her child could come back as a bird or star). He groups all faiths together, but that makes no sense. People that believe in reincarnation of children as birds are not the ones who halted stem-cell research. Ranting at Belgians for the actions of Americans is like screaming at Indians for Japan's actions in WWII, or ranting at a Muslim belly dancer because of the Taliban's dress code or ranting at a Belgian director about this year's Oscars. Belgians, Christians or not, had nothing to do with the election of Bush or stem-cell research. Didier is in an imaginary war against all faiths because his daughter died and the film presents him as somewhat reasonable by not having anyone challenge his beliefs or arguments. They are presented as valid. Some religious folks in one particular country stopped stem-cell research. Other religious folks in the US did not. The rest of the world had nothing to do with it either way, especially ones that believe in reincarnation-as-birds whose religion has nothing to say about any kind of research whatsoever. China, Japan and India are also religious and have non- rational belief systems. They're still doing lots of research. Why can't he see that? Oh, because it's not relevant to the plot.A highly-contrived religion vs secularism story filled with massive grouping of unrelated groups together, false equivalence, collective responsibility, etc.

Uniquely combining bluegrass music classics, family drama and relationship studies into one Belgian infused heavy hitter, Felix van Groeningen's Oscar nominated The Broken Circle Breakdown isn't by any means an easy watch but it's a film that offers up many moments of joy, many moments of heartache and features some outstanding acting turns and musical renditions in a familiar like tale that would be nigh on impossible not to respect.Groeningen delivers his film in a way that may be off-putting to some and it's right to say that at times his structure of flashbacks, flash-forwards and present time scenes combine to create a somewhat disjointed feel to proceedings that weaken emotional ties to what is occurring due to a lack of audience engagement, but when Groeningen nails his scenes, there a sight to behold. Scenes centred around couple Didier and Elise and there young daughter Maybelle are fantastically well played, Didier and Elise's bands musically staged scenes are often highly entertaining and at one pivotal stage moment, incredibly moving and interplay between actors Johan Heldenbergh and Veerle Baetens delivers some of the best one/two double acts by male and female actors of recent memories.Creating a couple that throughout remains empathetic, relatable and likable, leads Baetens and Heldenbergh (who also co-wrote the screenplay) are wholeheartedly in tune with their characters and their ability to not only act but to sing is an incredibly feat of acting. Both Baetens and Heldenbergh are tasked with many a varied range of emotions, from lofty heights to lowly lows and whether it's at the peak of happiness or the despair of unhappiness, Elise and Didier feel real thanks to these two actors. Didier and Elise's love story in many ways reminds one of Blue Valentine, an intimate and raw love that overtime has been torn at by the harsh twists of life and the structure to Broken Circle Breakdown does feel reminiscent of Derek Cianfrance's tale as previously mentioned in its flash forwards, flashbacks and present day scenes.An occasionally joyous, often sombre and sometimes beautifully moving, The Broken Circle Breakdown absolutely deserved the critical and award plaudits it received the world over thanks to its fine movie making, high calibre acting and perfectly constructed soundtrack. A tale not to uplift but to in its unique way inspire, this is a film all lovers of classy dramas, world cinema and connoisseurs of toe tapping bluegrass should track down at the next available opportunity.4 and a half terandas out of 5 For more movie reviews and opinions check out - www.jordanandeddie.wordpress.com