Dowd, who's IRA, escapes an Irish prison in a bloody jailbreak, making his way to New York City where he lives alone, avoids Irish hangouts, and works as a dishwasher. When a good deed gets ... Read allDowd, who's IRA, escapes an Irish prison in a bloody jailbreak, making his way to New York City where he lives alone, avoids Irish hangouts, and works as a dishwasher. When a good deed gets him stabbed, one of the restaurant employees takes him in and finds him medical care. As D... Read allDowd, who's IRA, escapes an Irish prison in a bloody jailbreak, making his way to New York City where he lives alone, avoids Irish hangouts, and works as a dishwasher. When a good deed gets him stabbed, one of the restaurant employees takes him in and finds him medical care. As Dowd recovers in the flat of Tulio and Tulio's sister Monica, he realizes that these Guatem... Read all
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
- Gate Prison Officer
- (as James Duran)
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Featured reviews
Well I have to say this was a refreshing alternative film, a bit of underground New York, a bit of Leftist Latino bent, a bit of the Shamrock. Really I prefer this to the Crying Game. In that we have a real good first sequence with Forest Whittaker, the best actor of the film dies in the beginning, and then it's all anti-climax. Here we get the unique mixing of an Irish-Guatemalan relationship, a sleazy NYC hotel sequence, the Midnight Cowboy type alienation of a man alone in New York, and the great Alfred Molina (We've seen him as an Iranian, a Greek,now a Guatemalan...and he's British to boot.)
So overlook the flaws of the film and enjoy it for what it is. The only real flaws are that some things are disturbingly unexplained: Why was Rea a prisoner to begin with, The Guatemalan Death squad thing in the post-cold war Clinton era, and what was up with that chick in the hotel?! Finally, does Stephen Rea remind you of Bob Geldof in The Wall or what!
The movie simply doesn't have any firepower in the second half. The audience doesn't care about Rea's character. If you want to see a terrific movie with powerful performances and a fascinating story, check out "The Crying Game." Twice, instead of this once.
In The Break' (USA title) Stephen Rea again does a masterful job of underplaying the character of Sean Dowd, trying option #2 on for size. He breaks out of an Irish prison, then relocates to New York, where he works in an obscure restaurant washing dishes.
The story then follows a rather predictable path, with a somewhat surprising ending. Director Roger Dornhelm does a good job keeping the film on track.
Overall a solid thriller.
Did you know
- ConnectionsReferences Le Jeune Docteur Kildare (1961)
Details
- Release date
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- Also known as
- Les fugitifs
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Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $14,760
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,975
- Feb 22, 1998
- Gross worldwide
- $14,760