Not Easily BrokenMovie Reviews

Poster art for "Not Easily Broken."

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So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 43 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
15 Iffy for 15+
Read Common Sense Media review

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

  • 75
    Entertainment Weekly |

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

  • 63
    Boston Globe | Wesley Morris

    For most of Not Easily Broken, I wondered why the movie wasn't worse. Then I remembered it was directed by the veteran Bill Duke, who applies ample TLC. Read full review

  • 50
    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. Read full review

  • 50
    San Francisco Chronicle |

    Unfortunately, for those who do not subscribe to the notion that God's dust smooths a marriage's rough patches, but rather hard work by people do, the message rings hollow. Read full review

  • 50
    Washington Post | Ann Hornaday

    Exerts an unmistakable appeal, thanks to an absorbing story and fine performances from Morris Chestnut and Taraji P. Henson. Read full review

  • 50
    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. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Well-acted and involving. Read full review

  • 50
    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. Read full review

  • 40
    L.A. Weekly | Scott Foundas

    These resourceful actors -- to say nothing of the audience -- deserve better. Read full review

  • 30
    Austin Chronicle |

    It's fascinating how an innocuous film can suddenly flare up into offensive claptrap. Read full review

View more reviews for Not Easily Broken on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says 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
  • message true0 Positive 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 false2 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 false3 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 false1 Language: Mostly just mild swearing, including "ass" (which is uttered many times) and "damn."
  • consumerism false1 Consumerism: Some signage and logos, including Cybex exercise machines, Jose Cuervo, and McDonald's.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false1 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Some beer drinking in social situations.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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