Breaking In

I was the music editor on "Breaking In" the experience of working with Bill Forsyth was one of the highlights of my long career. I just wish everyone could see the Director's cut. It was head-and-shoulders above the release edit. It was a very strange hybrid...John Sayles and Bill Forsyth - produced by Sam Goldwyn Jr. I'll never forget the day when Bill got yet another huge list of changes Goldwyn wanted - at the end of the list he asked Bill to respond to the changes he wanted - and also asked Bill(who is a Scot) to recommend a single malt whiskey for a party he was having. Bill sent a case of whiskey to Goldwyn with a note saying "This should answer both of your questions" The name of the whiskey was "KNOCKANDHU" !

Often dubbed Burt Reynolds' big comeback (after a lackluster 1980s), though the term "comeback" really only applies to his choice of roles. Reynolds has always been a captivating actor, but his role selection hasn't always been stellar. In Breaking In, he teams up with pragmatic Scottish director Bill Forsyth and talented screenwriter John Sayles. Forsyth directs with a genuine interest in the choices people make in life, and Sayles creates a couple of sharp, engaging characters. Surrounded by solid material such as this, Burt, alongside the lively Casey Siemaszko, delivers a handful of standout, earnest scenes. Forsyth isn't aiming for groundbreaking conclusions here, but rather an intriguing character study - and that's exactly what this film is: an engaging piece of drama, with just the right dose of humour.

Even though I appreciate Burt's bombastic,snide,cocky,gum chewing persona of old it was fun seeing him as vulnerable and pragmatic. I love caper movies and even though this one is tongue-in-cheek it is quite entertaining. I especially love the cat-burglar genre. Siemaszcko does a nice job of combining the youthful and arrogant with the need for those "coming up" to learn from a mentor. The movie doesn't take itself seriously but provides a good relationship story. Alot of fun if you just let it happen to you without analyzing every aspect. If you liked Siemaszcko in this check him out in Young Guns, and 3 o'clock high.

I remember seeing this little film in the theater. It was a second run theater and this was the second part of a double feature with "The Abyss" which I had actually gone to see. I stuck around for this, not expecting much as Burt reynolds didn't have much a career going at this point. Boy, was I surprised! This film is a gem. A low-key comedy, where the humor doesn't come from gross-out belly laughs but from characters we can relate to. It was such a treat to see Reynolds shelve his tough-guy, trans-am persona and tackle a character role, showing warmth and depth akin to his work in Boogie Nights. I admit to a fondness for "caper" movies, and while this one fits the bill, it's not quite as clever in that department as some others, but this movie isn't about being clever, it's about people and how they relate to each other, even in the realm of burglars. If you haven't seen this, it's well worth renting.

Burt Reynolds successfully ends a rather slow 1980's with a surprisingly good character part in this 1989 Samuel Goldwyn Pictures release. He portrays a veteran professional thief and safecracker who teaches a young novice how to be like him. Amusing crime caper.