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Escalate or diffuse ? Overwhelming force or appropriate response to a human being in crisis ? The reviews here are not that positive ; I disagree.

This is a poignant story rendered capably and one that keeps the story moving and interesting not to mention outstanding acting by all the characters portrayed. That's the point of my review , a movie with a compelling story. If you are up for fantasy and 'cartoon' movies , then look elsewhere. If you up for a real movie , by all means go to see this one. The story is different but it reminds me of the Clint Eastwood produced movie :' Richard Jewel' and , that was, IMO a good movie . And please remember when you see a one star review to click on the link for the user of the the one star review because more often than not it is a one and done user review in other words , a troll posting a bad review and to put it mildly : insincere, sincerely yours an actual person who watched the movie and posted in my imdb blog .

Solid drama based on the true story of an ex-Marine who took over a Georgia bank in 2017 threatening to blow it and a pair employees up with a bomb. The soldier, Brian Brown-Easley, played by John Boyega has been caught up in a dispute with The Veteran's Administration. At wit's end, he decides that making a spectacle will get the attention of the media.

Director and Co-Writer Abi Damaris Corbin sets up the situation in a fairly straightforward manner. The emphasis is clearly on Brown-Easley as the movie methodically shows the hours leading up to the takeover. As the situation escalates, we get more glimpses of his ex-wife and child. The two bank employees provide an element of immediate endangerment. Nicole Beharie is particularly good as the calm but determined manager as is the late Michael K. Williams as the hostage negotiator.

When the movie moves past the immediate hostage situation inside the bank, the script gets a bit more dicey. The point of view and background details get a bit muddled. The acting holds it together, but, a more directed narrative would have tightened the suspense all the more. Brown-Easley's story did all too briefly cast a light on military veterans' plight, but, alas, the moment passed soon after the situation was finalized.

BREAKING is good calling card for Corbin, and Boyega's performance should lead to more opportunities outside the Star Wars/sci-fi universe.

LOW RATINGS FROM THOSE WHO JUST DON'T CARE Anyone who understands the human condition of dealing with a society that doesn't care about the most vulnerable people who struggle day after day, will appreciate the message of this important movie. It's not only veterans who face homelessness, it's also those who suffer from mental illness. In any case, they are mostly alone and struggling to figure out how to get the help they need. By the time they get any direction on where to go and who to ask, they are already beaten down and their spirits are broken. This is the point for them in which death means peace and freedom.

I was privileged enough to see this as part of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and it was decent. My biggest praise for this film is the performances. All of them are great especially John Boyega. I've only seen him in the sequel trilogy where he doesn't have a lot to do so it was really fun seeing him finally have the spotlight and he does a fantastic job here. Michael K. Williams and Nicole Beharie do a fantastic job as well here. Another big plus here is the message about how we treat veterans when they come home. It's awful how the government treats our veterans and that is what the movie is trying to tell here and it really works at the end. My main issues with this film were its presentation. None of the technical aspects of the film stand out at all. The cinematography and music are fine. The editing is fine. All of it is fine but it could be better. They also had this ugly filter on whenever Michael K. Williams is on screen. The film's tension is pretty good though. There were definitely points especially at the end where I could really feel nervous about the characters. This is based on a true story so most people know what happened but you still feel your heart racing towards the end. There were times though when the film was trying to be tense and it just didn't come through for me. I would recommend checking this out whenever the film hits theaters if you're interested in Boyega or the story this film is based on.

John Boyega even bears a striking resemblance to Denzel Washington while simulating the borrowed mannerisms and speech patterns he performs with great aplomb.

Michael Kenneth Williams shows one last time why his character artistry is so profoundly missed.

Not the first time this story, or one nearly identicle to it has been told, but the underlying theme bears repeating. And until the very apparatus that was created to care for all Americans who served this country can be reasonably adequate in addressing the problems assocated with modern warfare and combat in general, tragedies like this will continue to occur.