Review of Broken (2012) by Love M — 23 Aug 2013

Broken is very much about an angel living in a broken world.

Skunk is, in theory, just another 12 year old. But she isn't as her life's circumstances have forced her to grow up abruptly. From her mother having abandoned them to witnessing a violent attack, Skunk has a perspective that it unusual and advanced for her age.

Unfortunately for her, everything in her world is "Broken". Her mother dumped them all and went with another man, she lives on a street with several dysfunctional families with issues varying from psychopathy to outright tendency towards violence and bullying, there is nothing normal in her life. Except perhaps from her father, although he too is broken since his wife left and now has an affair with the nanny that Skunk highly disapproves. Still, he cares deeply for her and she can count on him.

A poignant study about a broken world in which there is no safety no lace of solace and no matter how innocent your soul may be and how much one tries to put it all aside by continuing to be kind and brave the brokenness will get you in the end.

An unusually powerful film, despite the fact that it comes out of a commonly used set of ingredients that are very evident in recent British film making.