What do you call it? A crime movie, an action thriller, or a drama— it’s very confusing as you don’t get hardcore action scenes, and you will not find suspense at every bend of the characters or the story itself. And about crime, holding up a bank surely fits the genre but is it all about holding the bank employees as hostages— no, the story doesn’t develop centering on this specific theme.
So, the verdict?
It’s a mixture of all but the actual context is far more thrilling than what we see in the movie— the struggle for a dignified life turned into chaotic collateral damage as termed in the military. Based on a true story, be ready to get goosebumps with lots of twists when it reveals the reality of societal negligence to its dwellers.
About the movie, it all starts with entering the bank with a noble(!) intention. There are opening scenes with the additional storyline but the bank is the prime concern here and all the events take place right here. Now, in contrast to typical bank heist films, you will experience a different action there, with a twisting storyline that makes you aware of an oppressed social and political dogma, leading the common people to collapse or break their point of tolerance. And right here, the title of the movie starts to justify its naming convention.
When looking for ratings and little insight into the movie prior to my watch, I came to this statement—
The title Breaking works really well... the idea of breaking news, a man that is breaking, and a society that's breaking or broken…
This is a gem; justifying the whole plot followed by a silent scream to obtain what is rightfully ours but denied— awakening the devastating force sleeping inside us. A cry for our right to demand, and secure the life we have worked for. I have found this synonymous with the life of mass people who have been exploited for a period unknown or say, from the very beginning of this civilised society. However, resistance is seen from a wide variety of social classes but ended with despair as the authority in power doesn’t discriminate when it comes to exploiting the helplessness of the common people.
About the acting, I feel like there is room for more. And all the incredible details that have led to this situation are missing from the storyline. We could have enjoyed the subtle emotions expressed going through the situation and the lead character seemed to be fit— but, all the events are recalled through flashbacks, not what we see in everyday films, and seemingly an old technique to let the viewers learn more about the context leading to the present situation. If the director decided to elaborate on them, we could have gotten ourselves a more fascinating movie about social injustice. However, the performance was solid and quite intriguing.
Ready to uncover a hidden truth about our beloved society? You are welcome to watch it yourself and get shocked.
