Broken Roads

I did not know acting could be so bad. It's just so bad.

Broken Roads is a film that comes along every 5 years that can't be seen from beginning to end in one sitting because it is so ridiculously bad that you can't help but skip through it and watch it in segments.

I don't mind watching bad movies, especially when they are entertaining - however Broken Roads doesn't allow us the benefit of enjoyment because it's just that bad.

The acting from the majority of the cast is awful and weak at best. The only decent performances came from superficial secondary characters and Shoshana Bush, but despite their best efforts to elevate the material, the script is too muddled and unfocused to display what they are capable of if given a good script. The biggest disappointment, of course, comes from the work by Sally Kirkland, considering she is the only one from the cast with a name and credentials. She is overly dramatic and sappy that every word she says is wooden and dull. However, as bad as her performance is, it is Oscar worthy in comparison to the male lead, Aidan Bristow - who is constantly yelling throughout the movie for no reason except at an attempt to be a "Good" actor, because "All good actors yell and cry." in a movie.

The direction of the film handled by Justin Chambers is unfocused and confused and extremely heavy. His attempts to make a "good" movie fall short because instead of letting the material speak for itself he tries hard to be dramatic - nothing is organic or earned, it's constantly forced, everything in this movie is forced at the audience.

The story is incredibly predictable with no conflict. You kind of sit there most of the time asking yourself, "what's the point of all this?"

Now there are bad films and there are terrible films. A bad film would be any movie that's so bad it's good where as a terrible film would be any movie that's just not good at all and simply bad. Broken Roads is a fine example of a Bad Script + Bad Acting + Unfocused Directing = Bad Movie. I read a few reviews praising the cinematography of the picture, however even the cinematography was amateur at best with the exception of one shot that actually looked professional.

The proof is in the pudding so approach this film with caution if you choose to see it for yourself. But if I were you and I'd say SKIP IT. Everything about this film is broken and beyond repair.

It you like soppy melodramas then this one is for you or maybe not even. The film begins with a loud and graphic horror movie like scene. So if you are squeamish like many melodrama lovers, then you might want to close your eyes for the first scene. The story itself can be told in a 5 min short, as it is predictable and climaxes very early to only drag on like "beating a dead horse" for 2 1/2 hours. However there is lot's of shouting and childish tantrums to get you through to the resolution segment followed by a couple more "cups of water, to keep the pot of sorrow and heartache boiling at a slow simmer, until it eventually dries up".

Simple plot. Bad dialogue, at times even painful. Bad acting. Stupid ending.

So many scenes took so long to develop. Slow! On top of a plot that doesn't have much depth and a somewhat long running time, that's disaster.

One thing the movie did OK is show Aldo's pain and confusion even if Aidan Bristow was a poor actor. His screaming was very annoying. I have to agree casting him was not great because he looks like late or mid 20's, not a teen, especially in the beginning of the movie..

Broken Roads is a well written, beautifully filmed and emotionally laden story of a young boy, Aldo, played by Aiden Bistrow, who does a beautiful job of showing the angst of a young boy who tragically loses his mother in a car accident. He is then forced to live with his estranged grandmother who is played brilliantly and emotionally by Sally Kirkland. Both Kirkland and Bistrow show a realistic view of the anger despair of losing a loved one and having your life twisted around. Anger turns to respect for them as they learn about each other while time passes, they then grow love each other as families do. This growth is shown very subtley in this film and mimics a real life scenario as this process would not be so easy. Shoshana Bush plays Aldo's young love interest, Madeline, who I think every man watching the film will fall in love with along with Aldo. Ross Marquand, plays Aldo's father and does an excellent job playing this tricky role of a man who never met his son and tries to explain why. Along with the acting, the songs and the scenery are both breathtaking. It is amazing how well this film is put together being such a small, independent film. Kudos to the directors and producers!!