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Not Easily Broken (2009) More at IMDbPro »

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20 reviews in total

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4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Focuses on God and marriage, so will not be for every viewer., 13 June 2009
Author: TxMike from Houston, Tx, USA, Earth

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

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..

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6 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
Note to filmmakers: religion-based films turn off pretty much everyone., 9 May 2009

Author: Jimmy Hamilton from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Not Easily Broken is based off of a novel, which kind of makes you wonder why it wasn't any better. The religious undertones became such a turnoff after a while, I just didn't care anymore.

A married couple struggles with their marriage soon after a car accident and rely on faith to bring them back together. That's pretty much the whole story, let alone only one likable character throughout the entire film. Over-dramatics play out their course, and you've got to wonder why the main character is being punished by staying with his bitchy wife when he would clearly be happier with the white woman he forms a bond with.

Overall, this is just an unlikable movie if you're not into faith. Despite good performances from Morris Chestnut and Traji P. Henson, there's nothing more to gain from this. However, it isn't agonizing to sit through, though.

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12 out of 22 people found the following review useful:
Good movie, 12 January 2009

Author: mblanks11 from United States

Not your typically story line. This is a must see for all couples and especially married couples. I liked the fact that it gave you another perspective on how some marriages get in trouble. This was not the typically man bashing movie. We need more movies that show several different experiences in relationships instead of the same ole he cheated or he abused her... My husband also thought this was not the typically couples movie so I think men and women would like this one. Kevin H. was also very funny in this movie. I was glad to see Morris C. in a movie without Gabby. This movie didn't get the credit it deserved by most papers.

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17 out of 32 people found the following review useful:
Loved It!, 9 January 2009

Author: whocanfind from United States

This movie was truly touching! I saw so much that could be learned regarding marriage and family. The leading characters really played their parts well. I often felt bad for Morris's character because "Clarice" was a trip. :) I'm thankful for movies like these and would love to see more. My eyes welled up at different parts and the story line was not as predictable as I thought it was going to be. I recommend this movie for any and everybody that want to see a real picture of marriage and how different things can come in and douse whatever flame a married couple once had. Thank you TD Jakes for making such a hearty movie. I look forward to seeing more like these!

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2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Preachier than a house of Bonos, 3 November 2009

Author: Ali_Catterall from London, England

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Today's Thought For The Day comes from Dallas-based Pentacostal preacher TD Jakes, author of such titles as 'Women, Thou Art Loosed' and 'The Lady, Her Lover And Her Lord'. Not Easily Broken is adapted from Jakes' novel about a couple working their way through marital strife. It is unspeakably naff, unintentionally funny and unapologetically Christian. Judged on its own terms, it's a resounding success. But for non-believers it will likely prove a living purgatory.

The title is taken from the Old Testament (you were expecting the Bhagavad Gita?) and refers to the sturdy three-stranded cord of marriage, with one cord representing the women, the other the man and the third, You Know Who. The knot can be undone, of course, but it is not easily broken - hey! (Although most marriages are probably more like a round turn and two half hitches.) Ten years into marriage, the cord of African-American couple Dave (Morris Chestnut) and Clarice (Taraji P Henson) has begun to fray. She's an estate agent; he's a little league coach. He wants kids; she wants to delay having children to climb the career ladder. They're pulling in different directions. Then bad stuff happens. You know something grim is coming up, because during their wedding flashback Bishop Wilkes (Albert Hall) warns them, "Life is going to try and knock you down." Nice one mate. Another slice of cake? After a car crash leaves Clarice's legs mangled, her harpie mother (Jenifer Lewis) blames Dave for the accident and moves in to help look after her - driving Dave into the arms of Julie (Maeve Quinlan), his wife's physiotherapist and a single mom. A white single mom. You know the kind of white Heinrich Himmler had in mind when he started that whole Lebensborn programme? Like that.

However, as this is a spiritually-minded drama nearly entirely devoid of the sort of racial tension Hollywood pounces on given the slightest opportunity, the real issue here is Julie's single mom-ness. Because that kid is like catnip to a wannabe dad. Can the marriage survive all these outside influences? The stage is set for a shakedown between the meddling mother-in-law from hell and Our Father who art in Heaven.

"Do not make me go all Oprah on you" Clarice's girlfriend chides her at one point. It's too late for that. This is cornier than Kellogg's and soapier than a Persil factory. Problems include clunking plot devices (Dave's dilemma is pretty much wrapped up in one fell stroke by permanently removing Julie's 'little problem') and dialogue that makes you want to hack your ears off ("Do you know what I'm thinking? I'm thinking we need to get back to the loving part of our marriage"). Meanwhile, all our sympathies are unfairly weighted in Dave's camp as Clarice and her mum are almost completely unlikable shrews.

It also endorses a strain of Christian conservatism that some may find disgusting, summed up in a central, self-pitying lecture that suggests, essentially, that the emancipation of women gave rise to generations of feeble, hinge-wristed men who, in neglecting their God-appointed roles as workers, cultivators and protectors, "turned the whole world upside down." Poor old Dave.

Taking potshots is futile, really. This will find its audience no matter what. And they may take some comfort in its simplistic, optimistic messages of prayer and forgiveness amid an angry, uncertain world. Unrepentant heretics can amuse themselves pointing out the unwittingly lewd dialogue, such as Chestnut innocently recalling of their honeymoon, "We didn't come up for air for two days"; or laughing at the terrible, terrible MOR soul Dave listens to when he wants to retreat from his woes. The credits music, incidentally, features a prime example of Christian rap - exposure to which may convince you, without a shadow of a doubt, that the devil really does have all the best tunes.

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3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Preachy, Peachy and Screechy., 11 August 2009

Author: dunmore_ego from Los Angeles, California

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Directed by the great Bill Duke (the big black guy from PREDATOR), NOT EASILY BROKEN is tailored for the black Christian market like a black suit and tie is tailored for a Reservoir Dog.

Dave Johnson (Morris Chestnut) is married to a screeching harridan (Taraji P. Henson), who seems to possess no redeeming qualities except two mungus ta-tas - but that ain't no reason to be married to the bitch. Apparently, the knotted rope the priest entwined around their bodies when he declared them married signified God had something to do with the state contract, so - like all good christians - Dave and Screechy FEAR what might happen were they to break that bond.

As it happens, Dave's life gets progressively better when he leaves Screechy for awhile and sniffs around the white MILF who looks like Bo Derek (Maeve Quinlan - peachy!) Subplots abound, as Screechy winds up in hospital after a great, realistic car accident that actually shuts her mouth mid-screech; the MILF's son dies in a swimming pool accident (pretty gruesome stuff for a minor character, only for the sake of leaving her vulnerable to Dave); Kevin Hart provides a few laughs as Dave's Crazy Black Dude friend and Eddie Cibrian is the Token White Dude friend.

But nothing on heaven or earth will deter this film from irrationally, non-believably reconciling Screechy with Dave - because what God has bound together is supposedly Not Easily Broken. And the black Christian folk cheer at the screen - and go home to their listless, loveless marriages...

--Review by Poffy The Cucumber (for Poffy's Movie Mania).

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10 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
Great movie, 17 January 2009

Author: busonly4 from United States

I wanted support the movie because I am a big fan of T.D. Jakes' works. I went with a sibling who was also skeptical about the film because of the lack of buzz around it. To sum up our experience, we were SO GLAD that we went to view it last night. We thoroughly enjoyed the film as did the rest of the audience. We are still talking about it.

Morris Chestnut and Taraji Henson did a great job with their roles. I highly recommend the movie for couples, singles, divorcées, and etc. as the movie makes points about relationships that everyone can relate to on some level - yet without beating you over the head.

Do not go by the reviews, go and see this movie for yourself - you will not be disappointed!

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Not Easily Broken, 5 February 2010

Author: d-henry68 from Australia

People should judge this movie on it's message and not their own personal beliefs. The message of the story was to remain faithful in a marriage, to keep God central in it, to be strong enough to say you were wrong and strong enough to walk away from those who give wrong counsel regardless of who they are. It doesn't mean you don't love the person. It also shows how to get proper counsel or at least to be strong enough to seek it out.

As for violence etc. what do people think the real world is like ? People do not live wrapped in cotton wool, not exposed to the hardships and wrongs in this world. If people are not exposed to that which is bad and wrong, how then can they recognise something right and good? I am proud to call myself a Christian however I live in the real world and know it's not all sanitised. Some people should travel outside their own little world. I have been exposed to the other side but I still know and love my maker! That stuff will not make someone go bad.

this movie shows real commitment and love. Highly recommended! Hope you enjoy it! Sorry for the rant but some reviews were not reviews they were used as an opportunity to preach. Enjoy the movie and judge for yourself! It's made to appeal to all and in a way the viewer does not feel preached to. Cheers

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1 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Good cast makes a run of the mill script into something worth seeing, 28 June 2009

Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Ten years into a marriage a couple finds itself floundering. She is an up and coming Real estate star and he is a former athlete who has his own business. As she becomes more successful he begins a drift towards an affair.

Good little drama is solid entertainment. Better than many recent films of a similar sort this works because the characters are real people thanks to a very good cast and some good writing that allows the cast to do something other than be just props to be moved around.

While it may not win any awards and is more than likely to get lost on the DVD shelves of Blockbuster this film is worth a look.

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12 out of 24 people found the following review useful:
Wonderful movie for men or women, 11 January 2009

Author: snedley from United States

This movie was terrific! Great plot, subplot, writing and acting. Worth the money and would see again. Gender nor race matters when viewing this movie, everyone can relate to the family relationships, friendships, etc. The religious aspect keeps being mentioned when describing this movie but it wasn't over the top or preachy, just real. This movie is great for girls night out, date night or family viewing. The messages can touch anyone. We laughed, cried, said I know that's right, you name it, we experienced the emotion. There aren't very many movies anymore that make you laugh, cry, relate to the people around you and keep you discussing it hours later but "Not Easily Broken" does all of this and more. Deserves much more attention than it will probably receive.

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