Breaking and Entering | DVD Review

BREAKING AND ENTERING barely broke into theatres earlier this year, entered the minds of very few within the film-going public and stayed in even less. Now on DVD, Anthony Minghella’s contemporary London tale and first film since the period drama, COLD MOUNTAIN, finds itself now trying to break into the more intimate setting of people’s living rooms. Perhaps if it wasn’t making such an effort to force its way in, it might find itself invited. Minghella has crafted a colorful, textured piece that tackles the intricacies of relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, the have’s and have not’s, even burglars and those that they burgle. Unfortunately, the attempt to take on all of this at once leaves the film spread too thin and cold despite all its colour. Minghella favorite, Jude Law, plays Will Francis, the link between two mothers, played by Robin Wright Penn and Juliette Binoche. Penn’s Liv plays a reluctant depressive while Binoche’s Amira is just reluctant to allow herself the happiness she deserves after such a hard life. While making a life with Liv, Will finds passion in the arms of Amira but even his affair is too complicated to derive enjoyment from. Despite solid performances from ever actor, big or small, Minghella’s script weighs itself down in metaphor and implied significance that the characters and their actions never seem like their own. All of the film’s intelligence and craftsmanship end up sadly overwrought.

An overly thought out film does however make for a well thought out director commentary. An extremely well spoken Minghella details all of his inspiration and intentions that found their way into the construction of BREAKING AND ENTERING. The authority with which he speaks affirms his place as a naturally born talent and bursts with love for London. This is his first time shooting exclusively in London and he found himself finding new ways to appreciate the place he’s called home for over twenty-five years. He speaks of the absurdities of human behavior, the inclusion of electronic music act, Underworld, in the score and tells a funny tale of how he ended up arguing over actress Vera Farmiga with Martin Scorcese who cast her in THE DEPARTED at the same time. The DVD also features a “making of” featurette entitled, “Lie. Cheat. Steal. Love.” Everyone involved both behind and in front of the camera comes out to show their love for the film and the experience had while making it. Apparently, working with Minghella is like being on holiday. Watching Law talk about his character’s adultery makes one wonder how tricky making his way through the press junket circuit must have been given his own personal indiscretions. Other DVD options include deleted scenes that can be watched with or without commentary, where Minghella goes on about how what wasn’t used in the film is now being used as a selling point and the theatrical trailer, which is so plain it seems obvious as to why the film was ignored in theatres.

The characters of BREAKING AND ENTERING all have walls around them for different purposes. Some walls have always been there while others have been built, brick by brick, over time. Regardless, all of the walls need to be broken down if any entering is to take place. The film itself though never allows its own protective walls down long enough to let the viewer enter.

Movie rating – 2.5

Disc Rating – 3