There are few things more intriguing in independent filmmaking than established creatives dabbling in new genres and stories. Hot off his quirky supernatural opus Jovi & Lou, director Terry Spears now invites audiences into a world void of divine intervention as he attempts to dissect the economic recession of America. Survival is the name of the game in Broken City, which serves as quite the showcase for Spears’ storytelling abilities, as well as some major shortcomings with room for improvement.
Set in the United States during an economic collapse, the story focuses on a young couple, Desmond (Jonathon M. Smith) and Maya (Ria Gill). With their future in jeopardy, it’s do or die for the pair as they resort to ransacking wealthy houses to save their own. As their escapades intensify, they meet Andy (Ronnie Angel), a potential ally in their ventures. Only something isn’t quite right with their new friend, and things take a dark turn as Andy’s past resurfaces, plunging both Desmond and Maya into great peril.
All things considered, Broken City is very simplistic in its approach to this narrative, which isn’t to say it’s to its detriment. Spears has clearly done his research and wants his audience to pay attention to what he has to say. Every choice made has repercussions of some form, regardless of circumstance. And like most movies with real-life events serving as their backdrop, it carries a powerful message about today’s society. It’s a shame, then, that all its substance is buried beneath a heap of mediocrity. Technically speaking, the film is incredibly humdrum. While it might be unfair to compare it to Jovi & Lou based on its story, there are certainly elements of Broken City that seem inexplicably downgraded from what Spears and his team have previously delivered. The cinematography and set design are workmanlike and two-dimensional, even by indie standards. Even the soundtrack and the sound design falter, breaking what little immersion the film possessed in the first place.
The acting is a whole different issue. Ria Gill is the lone standout as Maya, who gives a more or less convincing portrayal of someone on their last legs. Her desperation fuels the plot, but she cannot carry it far thanks to lackluster dialogue. Smith and Angel give middling performances, neither succeeding in bringing out the complexity tucked beneath their roles. Angel in particular is underwhelming, as he is unable to find the spark that could highlight Andy’s complex range of emotions. Yet actors can only be as good as the material allows them to be, and Broken City’s dialogue is, well, very broken. Exposition-heavy and overwritten to the point of being unrealistic, it certainly advances the story forward but forgets to tether its characters to reality in doing so.
Clocking in at 73 minutes, Terry Spears’ latest is a letdown despite its seemingly compelling exploration of a modern American tragedy. Broken City is disjointed to the point of being unwatchable in some places, ending up as a bizarre misfire despite its good intentions.
