I like Peter Facinelli as an actor, and it's noteworthy that this is his first full-length feature as a director. I like Jordan Danger - I loved her in 'Eureka' - and in addition to starring, this notably marks her first go at screenwriting. And hey, a small role for Colin Ferguson! These were my points of interest in watching 'Breaking and exiting,' even as I noted poor reception; I've watched other movies that were regarded poorly and greatly enjoyed them, so maybe my opinion here would similarly be a step up. That was my hope. Unfortunately, burglar Harry is our protagonist, not depressed Daisy, and Harry is almost perfectly unlikable; he is written with a sense of humor, but of the sort that says not "you're a funny guy" but "you're obnoxious, and not as clever as you think you are." It's not until Daisy is specifically introduced, after twenty-five minutes and one-third of the runtime have elapsed, that this film earns its first laugh; only after there is another character to offset Harry's repugnance does the comedy begin to manifest, however softly. It's not that 'Breaking and exiting' is utterly terrible or lacks redeeming qualities, as a zero percent score on Rotten Tomatoes currently suggests as of these paragraphs. It's that the problems with this picture are rather identifiable, and I genuinely regret that my criticisms are chiefly directed at a first-time writer whom I otherwise quite appreciate.
In fairness, there is a lot to like here. The acting is splendid; I continue to adore adept Danger as an actor, and for as awful as Harry is, Milo Gibson plays him with energy, and ultimately range, that's admirable. Facinelli's direction is nothing special, but it's solid, and I hope he continues to grow in his skills. This is well made in most regards, including the hair and makeup, costume design, production design, and Christopher Hamilton's crisp cinematography. Some of the music is bland, overdone, and/or chintzy, but there are some small nice touches in the mix, too, that lend welcome flavor. And there are some promising bits in Danger's script. Many titles have explored a criminal getting more than they bargained for, to great success, with Francis Palluau's delightful 'Bienvenue chez les Rozes' being a prime example. The essence of the meet-cute is a minor joy given the circumstances under which Harry and Daisy encounter one another, and furthermore, there's some wonderfully morbid wit amidst the dialogue that wryly plays with Daisy's mental state and stated intentions. Daisy is actually a very relatable and well-written character, for that matter, and I recognize definite personal touches in Danger's writing, and familiarity with the underlying subject matter. And all told I do think the screenplay reflects developing skill and intelligence as a writer, for there is real humor scattered throughout that earns the desired reaction, and discernible earnestness lies at the heart of the story. As select production stills greet us during the end credits, we get a firm sense of the hard work that went into the project, and the warm camaraderie that all shared.
The issue is that despite everything 'Breaking and exiting' has going for it, and despite the more offbeat notions, at the end of the day it's mostly just a formulaic romantic comedy. It could have been a black comedy. When adjoined with the darker, more atypical premise, some choice lines and the most conventional, bare-faced ideas provide wisps that could have been shaped into an underhanded parody of the genre - and why not, with the central couple-to-be being a thoroughly unlikable burglar and distinctly troubled young woman? The turns to come in the last couple scenes add nice little sparks to help cement a fine finish. There is a lot to like here, and it had much potential. So it's kind of tiresome and aggravating when we get abundant scenes, dialogue, and broad character writing that could be copied and pasted into or from any of countless romantic comedies that have preceded this one in the past ten, twenty, thirty, or forty years. I'm not entirely sold on Daisy's shift, though maybe that says more about me than it does about her or Danger; Harry's rapid character growth is even less convincing, as it effectively boils down to a variant of the dubious trope of a villain having a change of heart when they see "love" or "goodness" for the first time. When the tale again becomes more dramatic in the back end the writing and direction feels a smidgen heavy-handed; that first noted turn in the penultimate scene is nevertheless accompanied by some more Very Common tidbits, and the last turn in the final moments comes too late for anything meaningful to be done with it. I like this title. I want to like it more than I do.
I can very honestly say that I look forward to seeing Danger progress in her career; I hope to see her in more as an actor, and may she grow as a writer with this as a modest start along that track. The same goes for Facinelli as a director, and I wish nothing but the best for the participants at large. I'm just somewhat sad that for all the advantages 'Breaking and exiting' can claim, at length it walks a tried and true path, only to the beat of a slightly different drum. I don't believe the utmost denigration this has received from critics is warranted; I'm of the mind that its difficulties and its high points balance each other out, for better and for worse, and the sum total is sort of middling and so-so. I'm glad for those who get more out of it, and I can understand how it will meet still less favorably among others. For my part I'm glad that I sat to watch, but I won't be dwelling much on 'Breaking and exiting' hereafter, and I just hope that at some point in the future I will have more glowing words to share about all involved.
