Brokedown Palace

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Brokedown Palace

PG-13

1999

1h 40m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

31%

Tomatometer

35 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Telling their parents they're going to Hawaii, recent high school grads Alice (Claire Danes) and Darlene (Kate Beckinsale) instead travel to Thailand, thinking their money will go farther. There they meet Nick, a charming Aussie who sells them on the idea of traveling to Hong Kong with him. But things go awry at the airport when the girls are caught smuggling illegal substances in their luggage. Having been duped by Nick, the girls are sentenced to 33 years in a Thai prison.

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Critics Consensus

Lacks credibility and tension.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The movie, directed by Jonathan Kaplan, plays the material straight, to great effect

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Chuck Klosterman

Akron Beacon Journal

Brokedown Palace might be the least gritty prison movie ever made, and it makes human tragedy seem like an inconvenience.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 26, 2023

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Film Threat

Rated: 1/5

Dec 6, 2005

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Jim Shelby

Palo Alto Weekly

Rated: 2/4

May 20, 2003

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John R. McEwen

Film Quips Online

Rated: 4.5/5

Feb 8, 2003

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Film Threat

Rated: 1/5

Dec 8, 2002

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S R

I held out on this one for awhile until I heard an interview with the music's composer on the radio and it peaked my interest. I was frustrated with the contrived drama, but the premise of oblivious drug smuggling was interesting. The true story could have been better made, but the legal case was dumbed down when that was the only part that was interesting. Their suffering in jail was only of interest up to a point. RUS.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/15/24

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J.D. C

Best performance by Clair Daines. This movie was amazing. So amazing that Clair got banned from the Phillipines for complaining about the roaches, flies, hot weather and the nasty environment! I give her props for dealing with all that! The movie is incredible though!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/01/24

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Mladen K

Claire Danes gave this movie a life. Story about friendship and sacrafice! Great acting and great story, not like Midnight express with all the horror scenes in it. And the end is worth watching this movie....

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/18/23

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Steve D

Well acted and properly frustrating.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/22/23

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Jerod S

Who lets their teenage daughters go to "hawaii" by themselves? But these 2 girls get caught with smack at the Thailand airport and are stuck in prison. The crux is supposed to be Danes' gift to her friend at the end...but it doesn't hit like it should.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/05/23

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Mike P

This is essentially a girl version of Midnight Express. Given that it's definitely a watchable drama-thriller; and the acting is good. This is one of movies that is average or just fine; but for some reason everyone, the audience, the critics, and the studios, just completely ripped it to shreds. It just rubbed everyone the wrong way, for some random reason, so everyone just eviscerated it, unfairly. Just the wrong movie at the wrong time; more unpopular than it is bad.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Jonathan Kaplan

Director

Claire Danes

Alice Marano

Kate Beckinsale

Darlene Davis

Bill Pullman

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Synopsis

Telling their parents they're going to Hawaii, recent high school grads Alice (Claire Danes) and Darlene (Kate Beckinsale) instead travel to Thailand, thinking their money will go farther. There they meet Nick, a charming Aussie who sells them on the idea of traveling to Hong Kong with him. But things go awry at the airport when the girls are caught smuggling illegal substances in their luggage. Having been duped by Nick, the girls are sentenced to 33 years in a Thai prison.

Director: Jonathan Kaplan
Producer: Adam Fields
Screenwriter: David Arata
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox, Adam Fields Productions, Fox 2000 Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 13, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 5, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $10.1M
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Surround

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