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Broken Circle Breakdown, The (15)

Drama

Elise and Didier fall in love at first sight, in spite of their differences. He talks, she listens. He's a romantic atheist, she's a religious realist. When their daughter becomes seriously ill, their love is put on trial.


The critical consensus

The leads emote their hearts out, and it'll doubtless make a resonant soundtrack album – but van Groeningen needs those tunes to carry us over his somewhat contrived and flatpack-like vision of bohemia.

**(*)(*)(*)Mike McCahill, The Guardian, 17/10/2013

The Broken Circle Breakdown presents us with a feast of visual verve and is as committed to documenting anguish as it is ecstasy; it delivers romance that will lift your heart and tragedy that will bring tears to your eyes, underscored by a soundtrack that will most definitely stir your soul.

****(*)Emma Simmonds, The List, 16/10/2013

Committed performances add to the appeal, provoking tears that are more than sentimental as the interweaving themes rise and fall like competing melodies – poignant, affecting and precise.

****(*)Mark Kermode, The Observer, 20/10/2013

This is a distinctive oddity that is as hokey as a country ballad, but sometimes as plangent too.

***(*)(*)Siobhan Synnot, The Scotsman, 08/12/2013

The story can’t help descending into melodrama. Still, the music and the setting, not to mention committed performances by the leads, make it a worthwhile watch.

***(*)(*)Alistair Harkness, The Scotsman, 14/12/2013

Where and when?

General release. Check local listings for show times.

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