Summary
Break is nothing new or surprising, but the expression and art form are wondrous to watch.
This review of french Netflix film Break (2020) contains no spoilers. The drama was released on December 3, 2020.
“Not another one”. That’s the first thought that ran through my mind when I saw the premise for Break. I’m such a sucker for movies that involve dance, and since Step Up, we have become far too accustomed to these emotionally driven, romantic, street-dance-like stories. It’s a premise that despite the lack of originality can stimulate the viewer; it has that similar feeling that movies about sports bring — anticipation and growth of the characters.
Break brings nothing new to the table, but there’s no denying it’s delivered right; it follows a dancer named Lucie, and after an unfortunate accident, she has to find the confidence to return to the dance scene. The lead woman has to overcome family troubles after hitting rock bottom, but the story offers an opportunity, as she finds a like-minded dance partner who needs a second chance at life.
The Netflix film taps into the emotion of the character rather than rely on her obvious skill; she’s filled with emotion, and it dictates every move she makes. Her dance is a representation of how she feels — Break has a strong form of expression ingrained in the story; the French Netflix film understands dance at heart. This is not a generic dance movie — there’s some emotive art form behind it.
And while there’s a romance riding on the crux of the story, Break doesn’t hammer it home as the overarching objective. While it does feed into how the characters think or feel, and relate it to how they train and perform, the romance is twin tracked with the need to make something substantive in life. Both lead characters evidently have chemistry, but they also have their own deep underlying issues that need an outlet. So while Break flagrantly lacks an innovative premise, it does have a watch-worthy feel — the characters are not on the surface; they feel raw.
Break is nothing new or surprising, but the expression and art form are wondrous to watch.
