Review of The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012) by Hatem A — 29 May 2014

4.0/4.0.

When I started watching Belgian import "The Broken Circle Breakdown", I was expecting a deconstructing a relationship kind of movie ala "Blue Valentine". "Blue Valentine" was one of my favorite movies of 2010 but I must say that this Belgian import really took me by surprise. It is an emotional roller coaster that will literally drive you to tears and tackles religion and belief in good in a unique way that suits it's narrative. It also brings in world events into the picture (such as 9/11) in a completely unpretentious way. And then there is the music!!

The movie centers on a couple whose six-year-old daughter in 2003 develops terminal cancer and how that event rattles their perfect relationship. The present day (2003) events are? intercut with earlier days of their relationship. As the movie plays along, the narrative becomes more and more non-linear, which is a bit confusing at the beginning but handsomely pays off by the end.

He is Didier (Johan Heldenbergh), a welder and lead singer of a bluegrass band. He is the romantic in the story; he finds it difficult to control his feelings and emotions. But he also is a non-believer. She is Elise (Veerle Baetens), a tattoo artist who gets introduced to bluegrass by Didier and eventually sings with his band. She is the opposite of Didier - a rational believer. How their differences are of no significance at the early years of their relationship and how they are fleshed out when their daughter is sick is something to behold. The two leads are a tour-de-force portraying flawed characters that one gets to relate to and sympathize with.

Writer-director ?Felix von Groningen does a great job maneuvering the non-linear story structure for the film's benefit. Also, the music is an important character with a lot of beautiful classic bluegrass songs.

"The Broken Circle Breakdown" is sometimes difficult to watch but nonetheless well worth watching. It kept me thinking throughout and stayed with me long after I have seen it. A modern classic! Adapted by the director from a play by lead actor Heldenbergh and Mieke Dobbels. Nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.