Breaking and Entering

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Breaking and Entering

R

Released Dec 15, 2006

1h 59m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

34%

Tomatometer

129 Reviews

52%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Will (Jude Law), a landscape architect in London, is in the middle of a life crisis. His relationship with Liv (Robin Wright Penn), a depressive Scandinavian, is going nowhere. A burglary at his office leads him to Amira (Juliette Binoche), a Bosnian refugee whose husband died in Sarajevo. Will is drawn to the vulnerable woman and initiates an affair.

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Critics Consensus

This class warfare drama feels contrived and superficial: characters don't act logically as the movie manipulates them towards deconstructing various social issues.

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: D

Sep 7, 2011

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

The complicated interactions involving class and culture that ensue between all these characters remain fascinating even when they seem overly schematic.

Mar 18, 2008

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Lou Lumenick

New York Post

Though Binoche does very solid work, she can't sell the idea of her and Law as a couple; the chemistry isn't there. Not much else rings true in Minghella's screenplay, which is full of coincidences and speeches about race and class.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 22, 2007

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

While this film may not impact the viewer on the same levels Minghella’s other work might have, audiences will walk away affected by a poem put to film and feel contented by the truths in the director’s symbolism.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 6, 2023

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

Minghella has a conception of things, but it only loosely fits reality. His inventions, for the most part, fail to satisfy entirely. They rely a bit too much on clichés.

Feb 14, 2021

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

Breaking and Entering is Anthony Minghella's provocative romantic thriller dedicated to the proposition that the truest love is mostly likely a crime of some sort, even if the criminals are never caught out.

May 20, 2020

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Kevin C

How about security cameras?

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/19/25

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Audience Member

It's alright. It plays with cause and effect - in near repetitive loops, without ever really delivering true consequences or taut drama. The story is loaded with potential for drama and tension, but comes off lacking. Ultimately, that's a failure in direction, as opposed to the writing

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

Liked this, great cast, decent story. Easy to follow. I only watched because I read Vera Farmiga was in the cast and although she was only in it for 5 minutes (She plays a Russian Prostitute) or so, it was a memorable five minutes. Absorbing story but a strange conclusion I would say. Worth watching

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

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Audience Member

Will (Jude Law), a landscape architect in London, is in the middle of a life crisis. His relationship with Liv (Robin Wright Penn), a depressive Scandinavian, is going nowhere. A burglary at his office leads him to Amira (Juliette Binoche), a Bosnian refugee whose husband died in Sarajevo. Will is drawn to the vulnerable woman and initiates an affair.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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farah r

An ordinary story made into an unimpressive movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

A beautifully complex character study that really rang true with its exploration of life. Fantastic performances from the entire cast. Minghella was such a brilliant filmmaker who used the most ordinary of things for extraordinary results.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

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Anthony Minghella

Director

Jude Law

Will Francis

Juliette Binoche

Amira

Robin Wright

Liv

Martin Freeman

Sandy

Ray Winstone

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Synopsis

Will (Jude Law), a landscape architect in London, is in the middle of a life crisis. His relationship with Liv (Robin Wright Penn), a depressive Scandinavian, is going nowhere. A burglary at his office leads him to Amira (Juliette Binoche), a Bosnian refugee whose husband died in Sarajevo. Will is drawn to the vulnerable woman and initiates an affair.

Director: Anthony Minghella
Producer: Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack
Screenwriter: Anthony Minghella
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Miramax Films, Mirage Enterprises
Rating: R (Sexuality|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 15, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $929.0K
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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