Mark this as one of those films that apparently got released but which I never heard of until, some time later, I came across it by chance while looking at the credits of someone involved (Celia Rose Gooding, for the record). This is perhaps a bit curious since there are at least a couple notable names among the cast (Dermot Mulroney and Mena Suvari); maybe it's a little less curious as we observe that it's only the second effort of James Rowe as a filmmaker, for newcomers don't often get big press. I sat to watch with no foreknowledge or particular expectations, and therefore surely the clearest head that I could, so how is 'Breakwater,' actually?
I look forward to seeing Rowe grow as a writer and director, and may he impress in the future. It's not that this movie does anything drastically wrong. It's that there's nothing really special or noteworthy about it, and it plays so safely within established crime drama-thriller territory that it mostly just sails on by unremarked, and any dings in the factory-made chassis that rub us the wrong way become extra glaring in the process. Scenes, characterizations, and dialogue range from rather lifeless and dull - plucked straight from the pages of a "connect the dots" crime flick how-to manual - to gawky and almost cringe-inducing, as stilted and awkward in Rowe's administration as boyish protagonist Dovey is meant to be as a character. The overall story is suitably engaging, but also doesn't specifically stand out at all, itself coming off as the assemblage of bits and pieces the filmmaker pulled together from disparate points of inspiration (surely including TV movies) without requiring major creativity on his part. And though I think the actors give apt performances, it's not like they especially shine, or even could under the circumstances, least of all as Rowe's direction is mostly as common as his script, if not also bland.
It takes more than one-third of the length before the first real jolt of violence provides a small spark of vitality, and before Rowe shows some cleverness in his writing. In fairness, maybe I shouldn't judge that first portion so harshly, for the remainder does stand a tad more sturdily as the tale turns darker. Then again, it's not as if the aspects that initially gnaw at us go away, including a romance that feels a smidgen forced (if a man and a woman share the screen, they MUST fall in love, didn't you know?), and production values so crisp and modern that they serve to somewhat sterilize the would-be seediness of the proceedings. I find myself unconvinced by how the plot is developed, and additional backstory and twists added in; becoming "sturdier" does not mean the whole is perfectly sturdy. Sure, in general the picture is well made, and there are some moments - mostly in the last third or so - that I would even describe as "very good" as all elements come together more sharply, and with greater potency, and more wit. I just wish that such verbiage could be applied to a more significant percentage of these ninety-six minutes, because all told, the strength is too variable to earn substantial commendation.
I don't dislike 'Breakwater.' Actually, I want to like it more than I do. It's fine, and satisfactorily enjoyable as something that can be watched a bit passively. It's just that "fine," "satisfactory," and "passive" is not what we tend to want from cinema, and if that's the first and final impression that a title makes, then its lasting value leaves a bit to be desired. Check this out if you like, and may you find it a more fully absorbing experience than I did; I wish nothing but the best for all involved. Just don't go in expecting a revelation, and maybe that's the best way to appreciate Rowe's sophomore effort.
