Breaking Up
by Robert Greenwald
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Actor: Abraham Alvarez, Carlo Corazon, Marty Granger, Russell Crowe, Salma HayekDirector: Robert Greenwald
Brand: CROWE,RUSSELL
Cinematographer: Mauro Fiore
Producer: Robert Greenwald
Editor: Suzanne Hines
Producer: Arnon Milchan
Producer: Brad Gordon
Producer: Cas Donovan
Producer: Craig Thurman Suttle
Producer: David Matalon
Producer: George Moffly
Writer: Michael Cristofer
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-06-01
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Reviews of Breaking Up
DVD Review: Great Movie, Actors, Performances, But May Be Hard to Watch
Summary: 5 Stars
Breaking Up is a movie either loved or hated by everyone who sees it. No one is indifferent. It's the story of a very dysfunctional, pain-filled, sexually charged relationship between two people, Steve and Monica (Russell Crowe and Salma Hayek, both still a few years away at this time from major stardom) who don't have the emotional maturity to handle their sexuality in a responsible fashion. They have great sex, savage each other emotionally, break up, come back together, have more great sex, beat each other up some more, break up...until they're both hurt so deeply they just can't hack it anymore. If you've ever fallen into this category, you're going to love this movie because you'll see yourself in the characters. Or you're going to hate this movie because you see yourself in the characters. Breaking Up is frequently quite funny, but it's "you laugh so you won't cry" brand funny.
Russell Crowe is just amazingly good as Steve, flexing the acting chops that shortly will be exposed to the world in Gladiator. One thing impressive about Russell in Breaking Up is he's not afraid to look bad - emotionally strung-out, tired, unshaven, fat, sloppy. He's completely believable as a guy whose horrible relationship skills are eating him alive.
Salma Hayek matches Russell talent for talent. Director Robert Greenwald tells a touching story about Salma's audition for this role. She came in, she read, and as she was leaving told him, "Thank you for letting me audition for this part, even though I know I'm not going to get it." When he asked, "Why wouldn't you get it?" she told him every part she'd ever gotten so far was a role specifically for a Latina. But that's not the case with Monica - she could be ANYTHING. When Salma received the phone call telling her she'd gotten this part, and realized she'd landed her first role based solely on her own talent with ethnicity not a consideration, she started crying.
While we're on the topic of Salma Hayek, let's take a moment to recognize just how impressive she is, both as an actress and movie star. Really, she stands out from her peers in the actressing profession. In my opinion, there are three areas in which actresses (or actors, for that matter) can be so impressive it makes them a star: face, figure (the least important of the three, though certainly we shouldn't underestimate the fact that people enjoy looking at nice bodies), and acting talent. It's not necessary to have all three to be something of a success. Being really outstanding in any one of the three (except figure alone) and, eh, okay in one of the others can do it. Be impressive in more than one area and we consider that performer truly exceptional.
As moviegoers we've all seen actresses with a beautiful face and figure but not much acting talent. But we want to see them anyway (at least for awhile) because they're so much fun to look at. When that happens, we get Pamela Sue Anderson. Then we have actresses who aren't much in the sex goddess category, but their acting talent is so profound we find them fascinating anyway. When that happens, we get Kathy Bates or Judi Dench. If an actress has a fantastic face, decent acting skills but not much of a bod, we consider ourselves lucky and make her a star. When that happens, we get Michelle Pfeiffer. Once in a great while, along comes an actress with a great face and figure combined with solid though not Academy Award-level acting skills. When that happens, we get Marilyn Monroe or Catherine Zeta-Jones and rave about them. And then, a few times a century, there's an actress who has it all: the face of an angel, a body to match AND absolutely impeccable acting skills. When that happens, we get a young Bette Davis - or Salma Hayek.
Breaking Up was shot on a tiny million-dollar budget. At one point, while shooting a kitchen scene where Salma is chopping carrots, they had to stop filming for half an hour while someone ran to the grocery store because they didn't have enough carrots. Now THAT'S low-budget. There are very few special effects, very little in the way of Hollywood flash. Hell, aside from a few walk-ons, Steve and Monica are the only characters in the film. This is an actor's movie, it stands or falls on the strength of the work of the two main players. Fortunately, from our "main players" in this case we're getting early, exquisite work from two future stars.
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Description of Breaking Up
A couple get back together again, only to break up again, and then get back together again.Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: R
Release Date: 1-JUN-2004
Media Type: DVD
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