Broken English

In a nutshell, this is a romance story that involves a culture clashes between New Zealanders, Chinese and Bosnians. Since the characters were unappealing, I found it impossible to get "involved" in their romances and problems.

I don't understand the NC-17 rating, either. The sex scenes weren't anything that strong to warrant that rating, nor is the movie filled with just sex. The language isn't the best with a lot of f-words, but that doesn't warrant a NC-17 rating, either.

It was a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story with a lot lower morals that what you would have seen in the real Romeo and Juliet days. Frankly, I found the movie boring, but women would probably like this movie a lot more than men, if the language didn't turn them off.

The scenery was nice but I wasn't surprised at that. I have yet to see something filmed in New Zealand that wasn't beautiful. That must be a great-looking country.

I found 'Broken English' one night at the video store when I was bored and couldn't find anything else to rent. I read the caption and that was enough to perk up interest. I have to say I thought the movie was pretty cool, although I agree that there are major gaps in what makes people like Ivan and his son Darko tick. The racism of Ivan, of course, is just ridiculous. Not that they used it in the film, but that he should have the gall to treat the Maori culture so shabbily (what is that black child doing in the family if he doesn't like black people??). After all, his family came to NZ fleeing war, not the other way around. The Maori were happily (hopefully so)going about their business long before the Croats showed up (probably the same could be said for the English, the Scots, the Irish and all the other Euro-peans arriving on boats to lord and rule for all these years). At least the film gives people, particularly American audiences, a glimpse into a little known culture like New Zealand (kiwi fruit and Russell Crowe, that's about it--and he gets tagged as Aussie most of the time). A shame is that Marton Csokas only gets to give himself to us as a straight-up meat head (a very good portrayal, but a meat head nonetheless) because he's a talented fellow. Ah, well, such is life.

Tee

Nina, young, beautiful and sexy, driven out from war-torn Croatia, has emigrated with her family to Auckland, New Zealand. Why New Zealand? Well it seems Mum was born there (there is an old established "Dalmatian" community in the region famously associated with the wine industry). Dad has quickly found work as a building contractor and seems to be doing well. Ironically, having been driven out of his own country by Serbian ethnic cleansing, he finds NZ's mild multi-racial society impossible to tolerate, at least when his gorgeous daughter falls seriously in lust with Eddie, a handsome Maori, in the kitchen of the Chinese restaurant where they both work. Being a fairly typical NZ movie, the theme is played for comedy rather than tragedy, though there is plenty of tension. An erotic scene early on dissolves into a minor domestic mishap. Cars get their windows smashed but no-one gets their head smashed in. The real tragedy is back home in Croatia via home videos from remaining relatives. The young couple progress from 90% lust /10% affection to about 50/50, though it's a rocky road. Dad however just can't adjust. Civil enough with his Tongan ("coconut") neighbours, the idea of his little girl having it off with any Maori sends him ballistic (it could have been worse - the lover might have been Serbian). With his knucklehead son, he attempts to break them up, with predictable lack of success. It's a great sketch of a tough, admirable (in some ways) but unadaptable man. Why is he like that? At the end we're none the wiser. Nor do we get to understand Mum's position, which seems to be total submission. She may be NZ born but she isn't a typical post 1960 NZ wife. There's a mildly amusing sub-plot regarding an immigration scam run by Nina and Eddies's employer, with the characters involved verging on caricature. But the main theme is that youth will do what it's going to do (sex, mostly) for good or ill and the oldies might as well stand clear. A nicely made and well paced light piece from the producers of the rather more serious "Once Were Warriors."

It looks as if I am among the few who found the directing and production to be flawless. Janet McIver was also the production manager of Whale Rider and Once Were Warriors. Broken English is a delicate movie where the father tries to balance self-control and the love for his family. It is a harsh look at bigotry, and the ramifications of such behavior. Unlike Once Were Warriors, Broken English scores with great acting and has a much better script. True to life, the movie doesn't offer simple answers for the problems the cast deal with. If you're a fan of viewing different cultures, you will most likely enjoy this movie. I enjoyed this movie much more than the other two listed above.

Was drawn to this on IMDB by seeing an actor who I thought was 'Ivan' so i looked up the movie. I recall this was hauntingly beautiful, yet quite tense and violent. rmalcus-1 yes! There is a soundtrack and I used to have it. I don't know where it is now. There was one track in particular I played over and over. Loved all the music too.