Not Easily Broken (2009)

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

An absolute waste of money

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The IMDb rating average for this movie doesn't help much. So many "1" votes from haters and "10" votes from lovers make it unrealistic. But remove those and the remaining votes cluster around "7" which comes closer to estimating its quality relative to other movies.Based on a book by T.D. Jakes (who also has a role here) the title comes from the concept that in a marriage there is an invisible cord loop, not easily broken, which represents God in the relationship. Further, if the partners attempt to live their lives without involving God then they will have difficulty remaining happy.So, immediately most agnostics and atheists will object to the content. Further many fallen-away religious viewers will also object. And finally, since it is a mostly black cast focusing mostly on a black couple and her mom, that will further turn off many viewers who still think movie themes with black actors are not interesting.In spite of all these things against it, "Not Easily Broken" has been enjoyed by a good cross-section of viewers, and is a pretty well made movie.Morris Chestnut is Dave Johnson and Taraji P. Henson is his wife Clarice Clark. After opening with their wedding perhaps 15 years earlier, we see them in modern times, not totally happy. He spends a lot of his spare time coaching young boys, partly because she still doesn't want children because she is too busy furthering her career.While driving someplace and she non-stop bad-mouthing him yet again, they get broadsided by a pickup truck, she almost dies but has to endure a lot of P.T. to walk again. Jenifer Lewis as her mom Mary 'Mama' Clark moves in to help but she inserts herself too much into their lives and ends up trying to kick Dave out of his own house.There is a side story about a young swimmer and his mom but that is not integral to the resolution of the story, which requires the couple to return to their religious orientation to gain their happiness again, and to move forward to establish their own family..

Thinking that this was another "religous picture" I did not go to see it at the movies. I waited and I hated that I did not support it on the opening week. This movie was a a portrait of what the modern couple experiences. Although there were creative liberties taken , all and all this was a wonderful heart warming film that depicts realistic marriages. I felt that this could have been someone that I know. When life makes a u turn to our expectations. Bill Duke did a wonderful job. Some scenes were even cliffhangers and heart breakers. I will surely get this for my Library. This film is not a family film but it is a wonderful couple date film. Loved it , Loved it , Loved it

Dear Bill Duke,I would like to thank you on behalf of real brothers that exist in the world. I enjoyed and was encouraged as a man by viewing this film.As a local filmmaker, I'm going to promote this film as a must see for real men and women in my local Cleveland community. I'll continue to prove that there are still real men of integrity, honor, and trust. Thank you again for painting another picture of real issues and struggles that plague the good men of our society. Much success in all our your endeavors!David B.A good and honest life is a blessed memorial,.......Prov.10:7 (Message Bible)

While the film was engaging on many levels, I kept wondering what was not sitting right with me. The more I thought about it, I realized that the male lead in this film was painted as a long-suffering, perfect mate while his wife was the nagging, negligent, career driven failure. The turning point in the film and their marriage was when the female lead approached her husband and apologized for the failures in their marriage. While she had a lot to be sorry for, I've never seen such a one sided marriage in real life. Really, couldn't there be ONE thing the husband could be working on in the marriage? It's VERY unrealistic for such perfection in a human being. I say all this to say that this is what happens when a "female" driven drama (b/c that's the audience this film is hoping will show up) is produced, written, directed, shot and edited by men. Not that men couldn't not do a good job, but this is clearly an example where there was no female input to add balance to the story. On so many levels, it's very unrealistic if not just downright disturbing.