Break

Not the best film I've ever seen but I'm glad I saw it. The lead role played by Sam Gittins was so natural and understated, very impressed by him.

I'm also not the biggest snooker fan but I don't think you need to be to enjoy it. A simple story well told so not sure why it's getting so much hate.

Low grade British film about an impoverished kid from an impoverished neighborhood whose dying father makes a last ditch effort when he gets out of jail to get his son a chance at a Snooker tournament in Hong Kong that will turn his life around. The kid is a small time criminal, wasting his life on drugs and petty crime hanging with his friends...but amazingly has shown a gift for Snooker.

I wish they showed more of the game of Snooker and explained the rules a little, but I guess they figure that is what the internet is for.

The cast was appropriate and well acted, but there were a lot of trite stereotypes...like getting the girl and the bad guy getting taken out.

I would probably give this movie a pass...although I don't have an alternative snooker movie to recommend...there are several pool movies The Hustler (Paul Newman), Stickmen (New Zealand), The Color of Money (Paul Newman).

However, this is the Dutch actor, Rutger Hauer's last film...so if you would like to see him and don't just want to rewatch Bladerunner, Ladyhawke or The Heineken Kidnapping this is the film for you. ...And to Anne Rice fans: He really would have made a much better vampire than the actor who got the role.

If your hoping for the new "Hustler" or "Colour of money" stay away from this,snooker action is terrible on so many levels,final frame action looks cgi,main character never held a cue in his life.Rest of story is rushed and predictable,never felt anything for character,movie is trying to be 3 different things,pick one and stay with it.

'Break' is relatively good, somewhat against the odds.

It is quite rough around the edges, though it features a story that is perfectly watchable and is portrayed competently by those behind the scenes. Onscreen, the actors are all fairly solid. Sam Gittins is decent in the lead role, as are Luke Mably and Adam Deacon. The standouts, though, are Rutger Hauer and, particularly, David Yip. There are some neat snooker cameos too, albeit wooden ones.

Visually pleasing to see that this has a run time of 1hr 47mins. Nice touch!

// Break is a 2020 British film written and directed by Michael Elkin.

This is a Snooker movie you never knew you needed in your life but more than that this is a story about a young man set in his ways that tells us, it is never too late to make those needed changes without clubbing you over the head with tropey cliche nonsense. Break respects it viewer and commands your respect in return.