IMDb RATING
5.6/10
6.5K
YOUR RATING
Inspired by his fiancée (who dumped him), a man publishes a break-up hand-book for men, becoming a best-selling author in the process.Inspired by his fiancée (who dumped him), a man publishes a break-up hand-book for men, becoming a best-selling author in the process.Inspired by his fiancée (who dumped him), a man publishes a break-up hand-book for men, becoming a best-selling author in the process.
- Awards
- 1 win & 5 nominations total
Octavia Spencer
- Stylist
- (as Octavia L. Spencer)
Faune Chambers Watkins
- The Betty
- (as Faune Chambers)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Finally a film, screenplay, and filmmaker who has the guts to portrays a young, hip, black man as something more than an extra in a rap video or a mindless athlete. Sure, the characters in this film are hopeless man-whores but so are most single 20-something and 30-something men.
Jamie Foxx proves he has the charisma to carry a picture other than a "zany" comedy. I look forward to his serious role in the upcoming Micheal Mann film.
It's about time Hollywood stopped patronizing and insulting the young black male by casting them only as athletes and gangsters. The dialogue was certainly a bit trite at times and the direction and cinematography was just so-so.
Jamie Foxx proves he has the charisma to carry a picture other than a "zany" comedy. I look forward to his serious role in the upcoming Micheal Mann film.
It's about time Hollywood stopped patronizing and insulting the young black male by casting them only as athletes and gangsters. The dialogue was certainly a bit trite at times and the direction and cinematography was just so-so.
Daniel Tablitz's 'Breakin' All the Rules' has some genuinely funny moments. It's not a classic but most of it is quite enjoyable. It sticks to the main point. I liked the idea that the main character is a man who's writing a self-help book about broken relationships. Usually such characters are played by women so this felt fresh and cool. The problem is that some of the jokes lose their touch as they are too stretched out but the confusion and mistaken identity bits were quite funny. The film highly depends on its cast. Jamie Foxx is a natural performer where comedy is concerned thus here is no exception. The cute Gabrielle Union is decent but she doesn't convince in the sequences where Nicky's angry. Moreover the chemistry between her and Foxx seems more as though they are friends rather than two people who are strongly attracted to each other. Jennifer Esposito springs a surprise as a semi-dominatrix seductress. Morris Chestnut does not impress and Peter MacNicol is alright. Bianca Lawson provides a few chuckles as the bitchy girlfriend. Overall, this isn't among the funniest movies but it may be worth giving a chance on a relaxed evening. For me the most hilarious sequences were Helen's irritation with Quincy's dog and what Quincy does to 'solve' the problem, the party sequence where all 6 of the lead cast come together for a showdown, Nicky and Mr. Lynch...and there are a few more.
Breakin' All the Rules presents the worst part about dating (never mind that it's a stupid concept): that some people believe there are rules, or make up their own.
If you accept that, all in all, it's a funny movie. The story is inventive, even if there's no big surprise. Jamie Foxx plays a very attaching love broken man, the beautiful Gabrielle Union gives us a nice balancing act of sweet, smart, and upset, and both of them are really hot together. Morris Chestnut is great as a wingman, Jennifer Esposito looks born to play the gold digger, and Peter MacNicol seems to have found the sweet spot of the clueless desperate rich media owner.
Some of the acting is over done a bit, especially the psychotic character played by Bianca Lawson. Jamie seems to push his suave a bit too far at time, just as Morris does.
It's good entertainment if you accept the limitation and the subject.
If you accept that, all in all, it's a funny movie. The story is inventive, even if there's no big surprise. Jamie Foxx plays a very attaching love broken man, the beautiful Gabrielle Union gives us a nice balancing act of sweet, smart, and upset, and both of them are really hot together. Morris Chestnut is great as a wingman, Jennifer Esposito looks born to play the gold digger, and Peter MacNicol seems to have found the sweet spot of the clueless desperate rich media owner.
Some of the acting is over done a bit, especially the psychotic character played by Bianca Lawson. Jamie seems to push his suave a bit too far at time, just as Morris does.
It's good entertainment if you accept the limitation and the subject.
seems to me that this is where they got the idea for HITCH. this is a very good movie, funny, sarcastic, witty. jamie foxx is terrific, so is gabrielle union. i like the way that they wrote the story, the way that they set it up where the one person doesn't know what the other one is doing, and that they think that it's another person, i guess you just have to watch it to see what i mean. i think in real life that the "break up" book would be very helpful to a lot of people. now granted this isn't an action movie, so don't expect action, what however you should expect is a lot of laughs, and i don't mean a little, i mean tons of laughs, this movie will keep you in stitches the whole entire time,, my fav. character of course was the dog,, trying to get through the doggie door, then peeing when he get's stuck in the door , i thought that was cute.
Not a bad movie, although the commercials make it look so. I find Jamie Foxx pretty funny in his routines, and although his really spastic comedic side doesn't truly shine through his lines, he has a few Jamie Foxx moments.
It is not hilarious, and it is not going to win any academy awards, its a pretty good romantic comedy, good for all crowds.
JAMIE FOXX's supermodel girlfriend breaks up with him causing him to write the Break-Up handbook detailing how to successfully break up with someone without cause the emotional trauma or a stalker.
MORRIS CHESTNUT is Jamie Foxx's character's cousin who has a 3-month commitment limit. GABRIELLE UNION is dating Morris Chestnut's character and through a whole bunch of drama, Jamie Foxx meets up with her, not knowing she is the same girl his cousin was dating.
Overall, a decently entertaining movie. Definitely worth the rental fees and your time.
It is not hilarious, and it is not going to win any academy awards, its a pretty good romantic comedy, good for all crowds.
JAMIE FOXX's supermodel girlfriend breaks up with him causing him to write the Break-Up handbook detailing how to successfully break up with someone without cause the emotional trauma or a stalker.
MORRIS CHESTNUT is Jamie Foxx's character's cousin who has a 3-month commitment limit. GABRIELLE UNION is dating Morris Chestnut's character and through a whole bunch of drama, Jamie Foxx meets up with her, not knowing she is the same girl his cousin was dating.
Overall, a decently entertaining movie. Definitely worth the rental fees and your time.
Did you know
- TriviaDuring the making of this movie, Jamie Foxx had cut his hair for Ray (2004). So in the final scene, Foxx is wearing a wig, which is why his hair looks so much longer.
- GoofsAfter Quincy falls onto the cake he gets up to chase after Nicky. The back of his shirt is completely clean with no sign of any frosting from the cake.
- Quotes
Helen Sharp: Hello, I'm Helen, Quincy's muse.
Nicky Callas: Oh. I'm Nicky, Quincy's girlfriend.
Rita Monroe: I'm Rita. I just screw him.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Siskel & Ebert: Shrek 2/Stateside/Saved!/Baadasssss!/Twist (2004)
- SoundtracksC'mon
Written by Amon Flanagan, Mystikal (as Michael Tyler) and Jerome Perkins
Performed by Mystikal
Courtesy of Jive Records
Under license from BMG Film & TV Music
- How long is Breakin' All the Rules?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- The Break Up Handbook
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $10,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $12,264,319
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,088,577
- May 16, 2004
- Gross worldwide
- $12,544,254
- Runtime
- 1h 25m(85 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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