Broken English

NC-17

1996

1h 32m

Drama

List

82%

17 Reviews

Tomatometer

72%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Many years ago, Ivan (Rade Serbedzija) fled his native Bosnia, which had broken out in war, for New Zealand. Although he has adjusted to his new home, where he works as a drug runner, he's distrustful of his Maori neighbors. In part to anger him, Nina (Aleksandra Vujcic), one of his daughters, enters into a green-card marriage with a Chinese immigrant (Yang Li) while also dating Eddie (Julian Arahanga), a Maori cook. Ivan's rage soon poses a threat to Nina and Eddie's happiness.

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Audience Member

I love this move. This is one of my all time favorite films. The acting, the story, everything is a work of art.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

What is broken English than being the language of love, honor, and betrayal ? Many years ago, Ivan who is the fierce patriarch of his Croatian family(Rade Serbedzija) fled his native Bosnia, which had broken out in war, for New Zealand Although he has adjusted to his new home, where he works as a drug runner, he's distrustful of his Maori neighbors In part to anger him, Nina (Aleksandra Vujcic), one of his daughters, enters into a green-card marriage with a Chinese immigrant (Yang Li) while also dating Eddie (Julian Arahanga), a Maori cook Ivan's rage soon poses a threat to Nina and Eddie's happiness Nina and Eddie start to see their own flaws too; do they know a single thing about each other? What would we sacrifice for our happiness only to lose the love of our parents? The melodrama is heightened a lot yet the film explores a lot with this complicated forbidden romance Even a New Zealand family unit has a boiling melting pot

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Can you tell me where I can get this movie?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The situation is not original, but the setting makes it seem so, and the director and co-writer, Gregor Nicholas, is alert to nuances of the characters.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Una fórmula extremadamente conocida en un contexto diferente. No goza de actuaciones muy convincentes pero sí de una buena dirección y un guión que, aunque ligeramente predecible, no carece de emoción y complejidad.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

this movie is not nearly as disturbing or intense as "once were warriors." but it is effective as a love story trying to survive through family conflict..

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

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Gregor Nicholas

Director

Aleksandra Vujcic

Nina

Julian Arahanga

Eddie

Rade Serbedzija

Ivan

Marton Csokas

Darko

Jing Zhao

Clara

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Carrie Rickey

Philadelphia Inquirer

Rated: 3/4

Aug 4, 2007

Full Review

Dallas Morning News

Rated: B-

Jul 21, 2007

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The situation is not original, but the setting makes it seem so, and the director and co-writer, Gregor Nicholas, is alert to nuances of the characters.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Sean P. Means

Salt Lake Tribune

Zoe Cassavetes... lets Nora's complicated emotional story play out, and she finds in Posey a strong collaborator in catching all of Nora's tics and charms.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 20, 2007

Full Review

Christian Science Monitor

Rated: B

Jul 13, 2007

Full Review

Frank Swietek

One Guy's Opinion

Rated: C-

Jul 12, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

Many years ago, Ivan (Rade Serbedzija) fled his native Bosnia, which had broken out in war, for New Zealand. Although he has adjusted to his new home, where he works as a drug runner, he's distrustful of his Maori neighbors. In part to anger him, Nina (Aleksandra Vujcic), one of his daughters, enters into a green-card marriage with a Chinese immigrant (Yang Li) while also dating Eddie (Julian Arahanga), a Maori cook. Ivan's rage soon poses a threat to Nina and Eddie's happiness.

Director: Gregor Nicholas
Producer: Timothy White
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $540.5K
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Surround

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