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Not Easily Broken Review

Release Date: Jan 09, 2009
Rated: sexual references and thematic elements
Runtime: 1 hr. 39 min.
Genres: Drama
Director:Bill Duke
Cast:Morris Chestnut, Taraji P. Henson, Maeve Quinlan, Jenifer Lewis, Kevin Hart. Full cast + crew

Movies.com Critics

2.0

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Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

3.0

43

out of 100

Metascore^®
Mixed or average reviews
based on a weighted average of all
critic review scores.
50

out of 100

Los Angeles Times
The movie may be preaching to the choir -- and every inch of it feels like a sermon -- but it's a pretty decent homily, heartfelt and strongly delivered by a committed cast.

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50

out of 100

The New York Times A.O. Scott
Mr. Duke's filmmaking is functional at best, and the extreme shifts in emotional tone -- especially a late and disastrous swerve into tragedy -- are handled clumsily in Brian Bird's script. Yet Not Easily Broken is not easily dismissed. For one thing, the cast is excellent, and for another, its intentions are serious and generous.

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50

out of 100

USA Today Claudia Puig
Well-acted and involving.

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50

out of 100

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt
The actors do what they can with the cards they're dealt but can't overcome the nakedness of the dialogue or the characters' actions. Duke does ensure that the production flows smoothly though. And those frequent injections of comedy do wonders.

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63

out of 100

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
The film is likable. Its messages, many of them Lord-oriented, are all equally heartfelt.

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75

out of 100

Entertainment Weekly
Laughter through tears is director Bill Duke's M.O., and he hits the bull's-eye of that modest target.

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See all Not Easily Broken reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

Iffy for 15+

Uneven family/marriage dramedy has some mature themes.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this well-meaning but inconsistent dramedy has lots of heart and a worthwhile message: Figure out what matters most, make life meaningful, and keep the faith. But some themes -- including infidelity, husband-and-wife power struggles, and the death of a child -- are simply too mature for young audiences. There's also some swearing (mostly mild), social drinking, and a fair bit of sexual innuendo.

Families can talk about what matters most to them as a family. A great discussion can be had about what makes life meaningful and the roles that faith and church play in the characters' marriage. Older teens can handle a discussion about how the film portrays marriage. Is it more or less realistic than what you've seen in other TV shows and movies? Why?

The good stuff

Messages: Though the lead characters seem to go astray, they exhibit an enormous amount of compassion and sympathy for one another's needs and troubles in the end. That said, a mother-in-law seems to be setting her daughter up for a failed marriage, and a wife fails to understand the importance of her husband's attempts to help young children through sports. He, in turn, begins stonewalling her. But overall, the good trumps the bad by the movie's end.

What to watch for

Violence: Some trash-talking and shoving on the basketball court -- one player throws a punch at another. A father threatens his son with a beating. A wife confronts a suspected mistress, with some shouting but no physical contact.
Sex: Plenty of sexual innuendo, but nothing too crude. A married man kisses a woman who isn't his wife. A wife dresses up in lingerie to entice her husband. Men discuss ogling women -- and indulge in doing so.
Language: Mostly just mild swearing, including "ass" (which is uttered many times) and "damn."
Consumerism: Some signage and logos, including Cybex exercise machines, Jose Cuervo, and McDonald's.
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Some beer drinking in social situations.

Common Sense Media

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

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Fan Reviews provided by

Average Rating: 3.939

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