Broken English

1996·Movie
1h 32min·NC-17

Where to watch

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

Broken English fingerprint

Strong craft, a touch of humor.

Energy

Tense

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension7
  • Fast Pace4
  • Violence4

Heart

Romantic

Much of it is about family and growing up.

  • Family Dynamics9
  • Coming of Age8
  • Romance7

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay4
  • Cringe Humor2
  • Dark Humor2

World

Everyday modern life, family, and growing up

  • Dialogue Centrality8
  • World Immersion7
  • Rewatchability6

Craft

Standout performances and characters

  • Acting8
  • Character Depth8
  • Direction7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography6
  • Editing6
  • Music Composition6

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFriends NightPartner WatchSolo WatchThought-Provoking

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Sometimes when you make love you make war.

Ivan is the fierce patriarch of a family of Croatian refugees living in Auckland during the Yugoslav wars. Nina is his daughter, ready to live on her own, despite his angry objections. Eddie is the Maori she takes as her lover. Nina works at the restaurant where Eddie cooks. For a price, she agrees to marry another restaurant employee, a Chinese man, so that he can establish permanent residency. The money gives her the independence she needs to leave her parents' house and move in with Eddie. Complications arise when Eddie realizes the depth of her father's fury and the strength of Nina's family ties.
Immigrant Family DramaCultural ClashFemale EmancipationRomantic ConflictComing-of-AgeAuckland SettingGritty RealismInterracial RelationshipIdentity StruggleEmotional Intensity

Crew

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

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Questions about Broken English

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Broken English legally?

Broken English is included with a subscription to Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads in the United States. You can watch it free with ads on Pluto TV. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Broken English worth watching?

67
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 68/100 (IMDb 6.4, Rotten Tomatoes 82%, and Metacritic 61). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Broken English rated?

NC-17Strong languageSexual contentViolence

It's rated NC-17 in the United States. Content advisories: strong language, sexual content, and violence.

How long is Broken English?

1 h 32 min

Broken English runs 1 h 32 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on Broken English?

Critics72
Audiences66

Yes. Critics average 72 and audiences 66 out of 100, so both groups see Broken English much the same way.

What language is Broken English in?

EnglishJapaneseMāoriSerbian (Latin)

It was made in English, with some Japanese, Māori, Serbian (Latin). Produced in New Zealand.

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