Breakable You is a 2017 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Andrew Wagner and starring Holly Hunter, Tony Shalhoub and Alfred Molina.[1][2][3][4]
| Breakable You | |
|---|---|
_Film_Poster.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Andrew Wagner |
| Written by | Andrew Wagner Fred Parnes |
| Based on | Breakable You by Brian Morton |
| Produced by | Kevin Fitzmaurice Comer |
| Starring | Holly Hunter Tony Shalhoub Alfred Molina |
| Cinematography | Harlan Bosmajian |
| Edited by | Gena Bleier |
| Music by | Adam Gorgoni |
Production company | Harmoney Productions |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
A couple's divorce has profound reverberations for their entire extended family. It is based on Brian Morton's 2006 novel of the same name.[5]
It premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and was released digitally on March 13, 2018.[6]
Plot edit
Eleanor and Adam Weller meet in a NYC café, so as to finalize their divorce. His overly friendly chattiness, irritates her. However, Eleanor finally loses her temper when he says he can't attend their daughter Maud's graduation due to an opening night of his old play in London. She is reminded of past showings of his plays in Europe, which often had masked his infidelity. Her anger wells up and they almost cause a scene.
Meanwhile, Maud is in Adam apartment, as she's trying to work on her PhD thesis, flirting with Sam, who's working on kitchen renovations. Uncomfortable with the attention, he tries hard to discourage her.
Ellie is upset at home so, when Ruth Frank calls for Adam yet again, she tries to pressure him to call her. Pointing out that she's his best friend Vincent's grieving widow, he shows little remorse as five years have passed since his death.
Meeting with her thesis advisor Brian, Maud has to block his pass. He wants to rekindle their past affair, but she's unwilling to participate in adultery again. Maud feels like a hypocrite as her thesis is on morality.
Eleanor vents to a fellow psychiatrist about a female patient who has marital problems. Viewing her as passive, she confides in her colleague that she'd like to tell her to end her marriage, but is conscious that she's projecting because of her own failed marriage.
Adam and his new partner Sandrine meet one of his biggest critics, Richard Gordon. He's contacted him seeking his help in gaining material for a critical biography he's writing about Vincent. Adam and Sandrine create an excuse to cut the meeting short. Not long afterwards, he finally goes to Ruth's. She brings out an unpublished play of Vincent's which was recently unearthed and implores Adam analyze it to discern if it is as good as she believes.
On Friday night, Maud goes out with Sam. Samir is Lebanese and so distant because his eight-year-long marriage ended after they couldn't recover from their six-year-old daughter's death. Simultaneously, Eleanor is with Adam's brother Paul. He tells her his marriage also ended recently, and he is very complimentary to her, insisting his brother is an idiot for losing her. Eleanor, suddenly upset, hurries to the bathroom. On her return, Paul gives her a passionate kiss, which earns him a slap.
Adam's producer, dentist Ken Yates, calls to both give Sandrine advice for her toothache and congratulate him on his play's impending opening in the West End. Adam asks him to seek a revival of the work on Broadway. He meets with Richard again briefly to give him a snippet on Vincent but discourages him from contacting Ruth, under the guise of it being too painful for her.
Eleanor goes to Paul's hotel room to apologise for the slap. Moments after explaining she wouldn't want to jeopardize their friendship, they are soon all over each other. Maud and Sam start to have a moment in Central Park, but he gets too emotional as he talks about his deceased daughter Zahra. After some time passes, she shows at his apartment and effectively offers him no-strings-attached sex.
Adam goes to Ruth's and lets her think that Vincent's play isn't viable. A few weeks later, just after Ken gives him the bad news about his unsuccessful Broadway revival, news comes of Ruth's death. Adam speaks at a memorial in her apartment, where her daughter inadvertently let him into Ruth's bedroom, where he gets the play's original manuscript.
As he's so caught up with editing and retyping the play, Adam sends Sandrine to Ken's benefit alone. Once he's finished he definitively shuts out Robert's biography project. When Adam has the play retouched, he submits it to his agent Judith Singer, who recognizes its potential.
Adam approaches Sam for the lead, who initially vehemently opposes. Eleanor and Maud meet, sharing the news of an relationship with Paul and of a pregnancy with Sam, respectively. When Sam hears of the pregnancy, it transforms him. He stops being reclusive, and even auditions for and gets the lead in Adam's play. Until then, Maud had no idea Sam was an actor.
The pregnancy progresses, but Maud has morning sickness for most of it. As predicted by Eleanor, she gets overwhelmed. After only a short time after the birth, Maud checks herself into a mental salud facility, cutting herself off to everyone but her parents.
Meanwhile, as Maud's parents had gone to the birth without their partners, afterwards they sleep together. The next day, Eleanor ends things with Paul, saying she has to focus on Maud and Rosie. Sam starts to feel overwhelmed in rehearsals, but Adam reassures him saying he must shoulder through it.
Adam visits Maud in the facility, and admits his play is not really his. They both admire each other, she his strength and he her ability to reach her deepest feelings. Sam and Rosie visit, and not long after comes the opening night.
Everyone comes to the very successful play. Afterwards, Eleanor approaches Adam and gets him to admit where the play came from. Even Richard and the NYTs praise him.
In the end, Eleanor goes to Cincinnati to be with Paul, and Maud is happily together with Sam and Rosie.
Cast edit
- Holly Hunter as Eleanor Weller
- Tony Shalhoub as Adam Weller
- Alfred Molina as Paul Weller
- Cristin Milioti as Maud Weller
- Omar Metwally as Samir Kamali
- Caroline Aaron as Judith Singer
- Brooke Adams as Ruth Frank
References edit
- ^ Greene, Ray (14 January 2017). "'Breakable You' Palm Springs Review: Bright Ensemble Elevates Neurotic Comedy". TheWrap. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ Farber, Stephen (13 January 2017). "'Breakable You': Film Review; Palm Springs 2017". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ "First Look: Holly Hunter, Tony Shalhoub in 'Breakable You' (Exclusive Image)". Yahoo! Entertainment. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ Galuppo, Mia (18 September 2015). "First Look: Holly Hunter, Tony Shalhoub in 'Breakable You' (Exclusive Image)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ Pena, Xochitl (7 January 2017). "Tony Shalhoub and Holly Hunter shine in 'Breakable You' at Palm Springs film fest". The Desert Sun. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ "Holly Hunter Is Starting Over at 58 in Trailer for Divorce Dramedy 'Breakable You' (Exclusive)". Retrieved 2018-11-26.
