Review of Brokedown Palace (1999) by Sarah G — 13 Jun 2007

The movie starts out with Bill Pullman ('Yankee' Hank Green) receiving a tape from the voice of Claire Daines (Alice Marano) who is explaining their story.

The tape goes on to explain Alice and her best friend played by Kate Beckinsale (Darlene Davis) have been friends their whole lives and have never been apart. When Darlene is moving away in the fall the two decide to have a killer trip together before they seperate for the first time in their lives. They didn't want to go to Hawaii because it felt too middle class. Then someone just mentioned Thai Land and it felt right. Alice is the "Bad one" and Darlene was definately the "good one", who was not rebelious. They told their parents they were going to Hawaii and not Thai Land!

The girls have a fantastic time in the sweltering heat, and exploring Bangkok; it's scenery, culture, food, and people. They then run into a sticky situation where a stranger from Australia bails them out, Nick Parks (Daniel Lapaine). Both girls fall for him, and think he's a sweet guy, and woos them both with his sly tact. Nick offers them a trip to Hong Kong where he doing business. The girls reluctantly decide that it would be fun, and why not it's a trip of a lifetime!

When the girls are waiting in line to board their plane to Hong Kong the sirens go off. Thai Police storm in and arrest the girls! But what for, they have done nothing. Their carry on luggage has been replaced with different luggage, and the new luggage is filled with narcotics! They were set up. They are locked up in stalls alone, and forced to confess to the crimes they have committed. Alice stays firm and refuses to sign anything in Thai, because she can't read it. Darlene however doesn't realize by her signing what they wrote it is a confession! They are thrown in prison, and there is no one named Nick Parks. It seems like system is screwing them over.

They are sent to a women's penetentary that is the grossest thing you can imagine! It's dirty, brutal, over-crowded, and incredibly uncomfortable. The girls await their trial.

Darlene's father Tom Amandes(Doug Davis) comes over to Thai Land to help out his daughter, and blames Alice for everything. He contacts the embassy and finds out he can't do anything! Alice and Darlene are tried for drug trafficing and are sentenced to 33 years.

Hank Green turns out to be a lawyer, and comes to visit the girls in prison, and decides to take on the case. It seems like a hopeless case. But he takes it on none the less - and starts to feel for the girls. He starts investigating the case further realizing that someone tipped off the police of the two girls, letting dozens more girls onto the plane. The whole system is rigged, and the government is apart of the conspiracy.

As the story gets further Darlene's and Alice's friendship is strained to the max! They stop speaking to eachother. Alice is still living on the hope that they can get out, and is doing anything she can, even bribing guards to let them get free. Hank just can't let go of the case. Finally -- when Hank has worked out a deal with the minister of Justice to get the girls to be let go and speak before a final judge, it turns awry. Alice can't see her best friend being taken in handcuffs anymore and confesses. It breaks your heart to see Alice confesses to it all, even though she hasn't done anything. She takes the wrap for everything and tells them to let her free, and so they do. Alice stays in prison to let Darlene go. It just makes you cry to see that scene. Everyone in the court room is in shock to see what Alice has done.

"If say it was the truth, you'll hate me. And if I say I lied, then when you go home, all the time you're there with your family, you won't be able to be just happy. So let's just say that it was the right thing to do, okay?".

The music in the movie is absolutely breath-taking. Claire Danes really does an impecible job at her role, and really makes the movie. Remember this is a true story, which make it even more heart felt.