Breaking Point

Flickers of sophistication. Otherwise, too long, too sentimental, too unselfconsciously overplayed. Berenger almost pulls off the sympathetic broken man character, but without enough cheap action to prop him up, he pretty much melts into the part. The premise is stock standard enough that a brainless monkey should be able to make a movie around it, but the script is so unbelievable, and oddly structured (moments of grainy flashback flicker sporadically through the plot, gradually advancing an all too obvious and predictable back story), with characters introduced in tossed-off, sitcom-ish scenes, never to reappear again, that its hard to get through more than a scene or two without groaning. Still, there are flares of inspiration - or rather, imitation with skill. But they are transitory moments - literally. As my first English teacher said when she was looking for something nice to say about one of my essays: "Good transitions!"

This film was far better than I expected. I rented it from Red Box on the way home just to have something on while I was doing something else, but the intensity of the scenes kept grabbing my attention until I relented, and sat down to watch it. Busta was a straight-up monster in this film and demanded my attention and props. Even in his comedic rap lyrics he has always given off an angry vibe; this was the perfect vehicle to express that rage. He was genuinely scary and I haven't thought that of a character in a long time. Berenger held his own in the role of a washed up semi-x-junkie lawyer, but because the character wasn't that interesting the actor didn't have much to work with; other notable (supporting) performances where Richard Allen as "Sticky Fingaz" and Frankie Faison as Judge Green.

I couldn't resist the thought of Busta Rhymes, Armand Assante, and Tom Berenger all acting in the same movie, so I just had to rent it.

I found the plot of the film pretty confusing, so pardon me if I describe something incorrectly. Berenger plays a cocaine-addicted attorney who has a beef with the D.A., played by Assante. Busta Rhymes, meanwhile, is a tough-guy gangster who has a thug (Sticky Fingaz) that seems to be working to stop him. If I could get more specific, I would.

Like I said, the plot was confusing. I didn't understand how the two stories came together, but I was interested nonetheless. The plot was compelling, and the characters made it worth watching.

The acting was remarkably good. Berenger does a really great job, I cared about his character and found him the most interesting of the group. Busta turns in a very good performance as a total scumbag. He was definitely hateable. Sticky Fingaz and Armand Assante round out the main cast, with equally memorable roles.

Ultimately "Breaking Point" was a bit confusing but compelling. You'll like it if you don't go in expecting too much.

I recently watched Breaking Point (2009) on Tubi. The story follows a lawyer whose personal and professional life have fallen apart. When a single mother is murdered and her baby goes missing, he sees solving the case as his chance for redemption and a way to regain his self-worth.

Directed by Jeff Celentano (The Hill), the film stars Tom Berenger (Platoon), Busta Rhymes (Narc), Armand Assante (American Gangster), Frankie Faison (Coming to America), and Sticky Fingaz (Next Friday).

The cast delivered better performances than I expected. Busta Rhymes, in particular, is a surprisingly solid and ruthless villain-his performance even reminded me of Keith David at times. The film has plenty of violence and intensity, though there were a few too many scenes of women being slapped around for my taste. The action sequences are solid, featuring some entertaining gore and shootouts.

Unfortunately, a lot of the writing surrounding Berenger's character is over the top, unrealistic, and pushed too far. His drug rehabilitation subplot-especially how he essentially uses it to go undercover-felt like a stretch, as did some of the dramatic twists meant to force the film's conclusion. That said, I liked Sticky Fingaz's character, who was easy to root for.

In the end, Breaking Point has some surprisingly strong elements, but it's still a bad movie overall. I'd give it a 5/10 and only recommend it with the right expectations.

Overwritten and Overwrought City Crime Movie that tries to be way too much. Rapper Busta Rhymes Steals the Show and is a Monster on Screen from the Brutal Beginning. His Gang is Reprehensible and Responsible for the Movie's Needlessly Thick Story, Characters, and Plot. They Deserved Better because their Vile Existence is Placed in this Otherwise Sappy Screenplay.

Tom Berenger is Miscast as a Shrinking Lawyer that Carries a Depressing and Despair of a Past throughout the Movie that Weighs the Thing Down and is the Film's Biggest Misstep. The Courtroom Scenes and Political Corruption are also Weak and that is Deadly Considering the Movie Decides to make that its Central Conceit.

Worth a View for some Very Disturbing Gang Related Behavior and a Fittingly Down-Beat Tone, but it All is Overdone and Smothered by its Lesser Failures and the Heavy-Handed, almost TV-Drama Pedestrianism.