Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20245 in DVD
• Brand: MAGNOLIA HOME ENTERTAINMENT
• Released on: 2007-08-21
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 98 minutes

Amazon.com
Though made by the daughter of iconoclastic filmmaker John Cassavetes, Broken English is a surprisingly old-fashioned affair. Just as her friend Sofia Coppola wrote about a woman much like herself for Lost in Translation, Zoe Cassavetes has done something similar for her first film (although Before Sunset seems to have exerted a greater influence). Nora (Parker Posey in typically fine form) works in guest relations for a hip New York hotel, just as the writer/director once did. Her best friend, Audrey (Drea de Matteo, The Sopranos), has been married for five years, while Nora remains single. Her mother, Vivien (Gena Rowlands, Zoe's real-life mother), would like to see her settle down. First, Nora goes on a date with self-obsessed actor Nick (a mohawked Justin Theroux), then blind date Charlie (Josh Hamilton). Neither ends well. Nora laments, "Men hate me," but Audrey argues that Nora really hates herself. Her self-confidence gets a boost when she meets Julien (Melvil Poupaud, François Ozon's Time to Leave), a chain-smoking, fedora-sporting Frenchman. Just as she starts to falls for him, Julien returns to Paris, so Nora has to decide whether to stay...or to go. Much like the ladies of Sex and the City (on which Theroux guested), she's the kind of character who appears to have it all, but feels worthless if she isn't in a relationship. It isn't a particularly progressive notion--that the right man will solve every problem--but that doesn't mean plenty of women won't be able to relate. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews

Perfect for its genre

If all American romantic films had this level of authenticity, depth, and poignancy, the entire genre would have a better reputation. This movie manages to be both a light-hearted tale of a slightly flawed woman's search for love and a telling exposition of how relationship to self and relationship in romantic love are inextricably entertwined.

*** warning: the following may be considered to contain spoilers ***

What seems like fate is often just pattern, and we see how we can either cause the past to repeat, partly by our own expectations and reactions that call forth the same results, or how we can allow the unexpected to come out of us and invite new experiences into our lives. Even saying this I greatly over simplify this movie, which has more depth and meaning than I know how to fully convey in written form. That's the beauty of this movie. You really have to see the movie and even then some of how it affects you is not able to be explained, but it still has meaning to you. A truly great story of the search for love. I loved it right down to the ending, which left just as much possibility without promise as real life relationships do.

Seen better, seen worse
My response to this film is lukewarm--I've seen better certainly but I've also seen worse. Do the lovers hook up for good?--Its one of those draw your own conclusion endings; nothing is clearly resolved which is probably why it did not resonate with me. I predict no Oscars for this one.

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!
This movie is honestly one of my favorite movies ever. Being a New Yorker, I can relate to the character. The music is great and the scenes are very reminiscent of my experiences here...

I love this movie if you're a single girl who is looking to find yourself and find passion again...