Thursday, November 12, 2015

Breaking at the Edge (2013)



Number Rolled: 80
Movie Name/Year: Breaking at the Edge (2013)
Tagline: The line between reality and insanity is as thin as a razor’s edge.
Genre: Thriller
Length: 85 minutes
Rating: R
Production Companies: Cinemarket Films, TinRes Entertainment, Vitamin A Films
Executive Producer: David Grovic, Jake Kennedy
Director: Predrag Antonijevic
Writer: Jake Kennedy, Nissar Modi
Actors: Rebecca Da Costa, Milo Ventimiglia, Andie MacDowell, Johnathon Schaech, Logan Browning, Brianne Davis, Louis Gossett Jr., Gabriel Macht

Bianca and Ian are trying to start a family, but it’s been difficult. A miscarriage led to the discovery of a chemical imbalance in Bianca’s brain. Now that she’s pregnant again, they are trying to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Selina’s Point of View:
The beginning of the movie did nothing for me. It had all the tropes you’d expect. There was the obligatory shot of a character taking meds followed by the overly used statement that “nothing can go wrong.”

Nothing tells you that shit is about to hit the fan more clearly than a character saying some version of “nothing can go wrong.” It’s like someone saying “we need to talk.” Nothing about that statement has ever been good in the history of ever.

Around a half hour in I suddenly became glued to the screen. I wasn’t sure what was real and what was in the main character’s head. It became more of an experience than just watching a movie for the blog.

Rebecca Da Costa (Freerunner, Treasure of the Black Jaguar, L.A. I Hate You) will likely never be a favorite actor of mine. A lot of what she did for this film felt flat and unbelievable. Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes, Gamer, Dirty Deeds) is another story. He is one of my favorites already, without a doubt. I consider him a highly underrated actor with extraordinary range. I think he should be a house-hold name and it bugs me that he’s not. He played the part of Ian brilliantly.

By the end of the film, my heart was racing and I couldn’t look away. That is exactly what you hope for when you choose to watch a thriller.

Cat’s Point of View:
I’ve been dying for this movie to come up on our random roll. The premise looked interesting; and let’s face it – it’s a Milo Ventimiglia (Pathology, Chosen, Tell) movie. We’ve established already that I’m a fan, yes? I wanted to like this movie; though I did my best to be objective as I watched. 

I wasn’t disappointed.

There were a few slow spots for me, but that didn’t take away from the overall experience. The plot kept me guessing, and was successful in its ominous atmosphere.

Back when we reviewed 7 Below (2012), I noted Rebecca Da Costa (Trick of the Witch, Mine Games, The Bag Man) was in this film. I have to admit that I was concerned, given that her performance in that movie had lacked something. I think it had to just be that movie. She did a bang up job with this one. 

Her performance was compelling and drew me in. I shared her worry and doubted some of my own perceptions.

The casting for the doctor was spot on with Andie MacDowell (Intervention, The 5th Quarter, Mighty Fine). She gives off this natural warmth that elevated her role in the film, even though it was small. Another familiar and interesting actor in this film was Louis Gossett Jr. (Shannon's Rainbow, Smitty, Pride of Lions). I enjoyed the small dash of levity that he brought to the otherwise serious movie.

Finally, of course, there’s Milo. His performance was on point, as usual. He has shown time and again that he is able to embody roles such as this and make it look effortless. I enjoyed my conflicted feelings elicited by his on-screen journey with Rebecca Da Costa’s character in this film.

If you enjoy suspenseful thrillers, I would recommend this movie.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 15%

Netflix’s Prediction for Selina – 2/5
Selina’s Trust-the-Dice Score3.5/5

Netflix’s Prediction for Cat – 2.5/5
Cat’s Trust-the-Dice Score 4/5

Movie Trailer:

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