Anyone watch this? Thoughts? - The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012) Discussion

[–] KGinColo 10 years ago

You people who "don't like country music" or "don't really listen to bluegrass music" are missing the point. Listen to the lyrics of the songs! These songs are powerful by themselves, and that power is amplified by the context of the movie. Most of the songs are deeply religious, and they invoke a belief and hope in the afterlife--a hope and belief that Didier is ironically denying.

I loved this movie with the same reservation that others have mentioned, specifically Dedier's rant near the end, during the concert at the performance hall, was a step too far. Up until that moment, the movie was nearly flawless. While they were singing the duet, Elise was doing everything possible not to look at Dedier, and Dedier was reaching out to her. I found it unbelievable that he would go on such a tirade at that moment. Was the concert audience not at all upset by his words or his behavior? Wouldn't some people stand up and leave? Also, the final scene where the band plays in the hospital room was over the top. It's like they didn't know how to end it.

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

While they were singing the duet, Elise was doing everything possible not to look at Dedier, and Dedier was reaching out to her. I found it unbelievable that he would go on such a tirade at that moment.

Yes but ... she didn't reach him back and this may have ignited his raw sorrow.

Re-the ending: I liked it. It seemed apt that Didier and his band play the song whilst Elise's heart slowed to a stop. I can't rationalise why it felt apt, it just did. So I would dispute that the film makers did not know how to end given my reaction.

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues

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[–] schtdygirl 10 years ago

Moving.

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[–] t-g-1998 10 years ago

Masterpiece. Great soundtrack, moving and depressive

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Top 40 Favorite Movie(UPDATE 3):http://www.imdb.com/list/dDDa_qSKRxw/

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

I have mixed feelings about the film; one the one hand I was disappointed and found it miserable. On the other there were aspects of the film that I loved and found inspired. The soundtrack I loved and Elise's suicide sequence I found inspired. I thought the way that Maybelle's illness and death was handled was tender without being sentimental although it was hard not to feel choked.

I give it 7/10 and I may buy the soundtrack but I won't watch the film again.

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues

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[–] Movie-Jay 10 years ago

In reply to the earlier posters, NO, the flashbacks were most certainly NOT necessary. They were confounding and they take you out of the movie. Constantly having to guess where a scene has come from or why it's there is cheating the experience of living with these characters for a couple hours.

And how it all of a sudden becomes a movie about George W. Bush and stem cell research is just plain weird.

And the behavior of the adults is poorly written. Like, wouldn't young parents have ALREADY discussed how they would approach teaching or not teaching their kid about religion BEFORE the kid is like 6 or 7 years old? Makes no sense that they were having a conversation about it for like the first time ever when the girl is already at that age. Parents have already decided that stuff way earlier.

There's nothing engaging about watching a movie that totally gives into its own sense of hipster misery instead of showing how people endure and try their best even during the worst of times.

A 6/10 from me. Nice music and I like the characters, but the director doesn't know where to go with this stuff so they just toss it all up in the editing room and screw around with our sense of time and place the whole time. Not fair.

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

I wasn't a big fan of the film though I gave it a 7/10.

Like, wouldn't young parents have ALREADY discussed how they would approach teaching or not teaching their kid about religion BEFORE the kid is like 6 or 7 years old?

Wasn't this one of the problems between them; that they couldn't talk certain issues through. So the issue of religion was taboo between them, which left them unable to support one another and their daughter when she was ill and discussing mortality.

showing how people endure and try their best even during the worst of times

I thought that they were. Not everyone can be contained and noble. It's a bit ironic to write this given we're talking about film characters, but I believe the maxim that most people are doing the best they can most of the time. Part of their struggle with their daughter's illness was the unfinished business between them around the pregnancy and the strong feelings it elicited in each of them. In spite of this and other complications each of them was trying their best in a situation no parent wants to face.

The film has its faults but I think throwing the term hipster at it is rather complacent.

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

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[–] Movie-Jay 10 years ago

I think with all the editing trickery, it diminishes the adult characters. They start to just act out of nowhere. Strange behavior that comes out of nowhere. Yes, some people just give in to misery, but so what? What's compelling about that?

Every young couple I've ever known has already decided by the time their kid is born how they're going to teach him/her about religion. It's already decided. In this movie it's like a thought that never entered their heads until the kid brought it up herself.

I was really with it for the first hour, but then it becomes an exercise of taking all the scenes, cutting them up and throwing them in the air for no purpose whatsoever.

And how it becomes a movie about George Bush and stem cell research was heavy-handed.

I think the director hijacks his own story here and has no confidence by the end in what he's doing or what he's wanting to say. Nice music though, and I liked that couple until their behavior became apparent that they were just doing what the script told them to do, rather than acting the way people might actually act like.

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

I have to agree the misery quota was high! It's part of my dislike/disappointment in the film.

Every young couple I've ever known has already decided by the time their kid is born how they're going to teach him/her about religion. It's already decided.

I have to say that this is the complete opposite for me. Are you American? Because I think there's a big difference in religious culture between America and certain European countries. In the society I know people are not that concerned with religion.

I'm not sure why 9/11 and George Bush on stem cell research was needed. I sort of understand where the director was heading but it wasn't required.

I didn't have an issue with the editing and jumping back and forth. I think it gave a sense of the fragmentation and bitiness in their union, which made it brittle at a time of tragedy.

I loved the music and wish the relationship had been sketched along those lines instead, but that would have been a different film ...

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

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[–] ilBuono 10 years ago

I would also strongly disagree about knowing how to teach one's kid before it's born.

Indeed Americans tend to be very strong in their religion, while in Belgium (and certain European countries) it's not really given much importance. Mostly religion is slumbering somewhere in a corner until something important comes up, like baptism, communion, funerals, stuff like that.
I'm somewhere between agnost and atheist, while my wife is religious. Our son is baptized, but it's for him to decide if he'll give religion a place in his life. Myself nor my wife will push him in either direction.

What the movie makes compelling, is its aim for realism. Ok, people do their best to overcome their grief, but here they never really succeed, despite what their religious views are.
The Bush rant is very important I think. Although it's maybe a bit jarring and too long, I think it's very poignant. It shows us what religious extremism will do on a small scale. A decision made on the other side of the globe, for the wrong reasons, can have consequences for a mother and father who lose their child.
I sure hope it makes some people think about that...

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

I would also strongly disagree about knowing how to teach one's kid before it's born.

I agree with you on this. The idea that people have a plan in advance which they execute without any distraction is ludicrous. Teaching a child as they grow highlights weaknesses in the couple as well as the individual parent and this was what happened regarding mortality, meaning and religion/spirituality.

A decision made on the other side of the globe, for the wrong reasons, can have consequences for a mother and father who lose their child.
I sure hope it makes some people think about that...

Not sure that I thought the rant against Bush was that important and equally making the point that a political decision in one place has ramifications elsewhere doesn't change that political decisions will not be made. Indeed the man's rant against Bush was as idealistic as the woman's beliefs in God and afterlife that he ridiculed.

Anyway since watching two American mainstream films in the past 2 days I've decided to increase my vote for TBCB because it is, in comparison, a much better film :)

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

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[–] barry70 9 years ago

Subtitles, musical interludes, depressing story, unnecessary sex, European. I can see why on my TV guide it was mentioned as awards fodder, nor was I surprised to see its high imdb score.

Personally, I thought it was average. The film as a whole wasn't notably moving and the plot was quite thin. It gets plus points for the male lead's beard and educating me that such a music scene exists in Belgium (does it?). 6/10.

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[–] OccasionalPoster 8 years ago

I just watched this film yesterday morning. I had heard some things about it and was grateful when my public library happened to have a DVD copy of this hidden gem. I found the story to be very deep, emotional, gritty, introspective, melancholic, and moving. This was a very gripping, incisive look at a relationship from the birth to the death of it. The film had some moving moments to it and then moments that shock you in a ways. While I don’t happen to be a fan of bluegrass music, I did enjoy the music in this film and, in a way, found it catchy. One of the songs in the movie, Poor Wayfaring Stranger, happens to be a song I sang during my first semester of community college as a voice major. That song, in a ways, brought back memories. I loved Veerle Baetens rendition of Poor Wayfaring Stranger. The acting between the two leads, one of the things I liked, is so raw and emotional. It's like you're not even watching a movie. You're watching a relationship unfold, good and bad. I'm surprised to find out how unknown this film happens to be. I enjoyed this movie a lot.

However, I did look through some of the posts through this thread here. I don't call myself a very religious person. But I do consider myself open-minded in some ways and politically, I consider myself an independent (I'm American). I have to agree with some of the posters on this thread that the political rant did make me cringe a bit. I liked the movie a lot until the second half with that rant scene in particular. I understand everyone is entitled to their beliefs but his tirade against religion, banning stem cell research, and George W. Bush got relentless after a while. It had me scratching my head a bit.

Still, I gave this film an 8/10 because while I liked it, I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would. I'll admit the film loses a bit of its steam during the second half. But I did find the acting extraordinary and was engaged by the deep, moving story from beginning to end.

I detest cheap sentiment.

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