



Produced by Dirk Impens
Screenplay by Carl Joos and Felix Van Groeningen
Based on the play The Broken Circle Breakdown Featuring the Cover-Ups of Alabama by Johan Heldenbergh and Mieke Dobbels
With: Johan Heldenbergh, Veerle Baetens, Nell Cattrysse, Geert Van Rampelberg, Nils De Caster, Robbie Cleiren, Bert Huysentruyt, Jan Bijvoet, and Blanka Heirman
Release Date: 01 November 2013
Color/Aspect: Color / 2.35 : 1
Editing: Nico Leunen
Music: Bjorn Eriksson
Runtime: 111 min
Release Date: 01 November 2013
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1
Color



The Broken Circle Breakdown is a messy and convoluted melodrama that nevertheless manages to keep the viewer connected to its central characters as they experience love and loss in many forms. Call it Scenes From a Belgian Bluegrass Marriage --the non-linear story gives a scrambled but near complete play-by-play of moments both joyous and tragic in the marriage of banjo playing Didier and tattoo lovin’ Elisa. The film is based on a play co-written by star Johan Heldenbergh, and perhaps its elliptical structure worked better on stage. As a film, the narrative is often muddled by the disjointed presentation, and the potentially interesting subtext of Europeans co-opting and rejecting American culture and values gets a little bit lost. However, the picture always comes together when the characters are making music. The Flemish leads Heldenbergh and Veerle Baetens have incredible singing voices and their Appalachian harmonies are worthy of comparison to American bluegrass legends Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski.
Produced by Dirk Impens
Screenplay by Carl Joos and Felix Van Groeningen
Based on the play The Broken Circle Breakdown Featuring the Cover-Ups of Alabama by Johan Heldenbergh and Mieke Dobbels
With: Johan Heldenbergh, Veerle Baetens, Nell Cattrysse, Geert Van Rampelberg, Nils De Caster, Robbie Cleiren, Bert Huysentruyt, Jan Bijvoet, and Blanka Heirman
Release Date: 01 November 2013
Color/Aspect: Color / 2.35 : 1
Editing: Nico Leunen
Music: Bjorn Eriksson
Runtime: 111 min
Release Date: 01 November 2013
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1
Color
★★★★★
One of the 5000 greatest films. Usually only awarded after repeat viewings, so there are more five-star films from decades past than recent years.
★★★★☆
An excellent film. Possibly one of the 5000 and certainly worthy of repeated viewing.
★★★☆☆
A good film well worth seeing. Films listed at the top of this ranking could end up one of the 5000.
★★☆☆☆
A disappointment, an interesting failure, or just a bad movie. Still, maybe worth seeing: I often enjoy the top two-star films in a given list more than the bottom three-star films.
★☆☆☆☆
A bad, rant-worthy film. Should be avoided regardless of hype or talent involved.
☆☆☆☆☆
One of the worst films.






















