The Broken Circle Breakdown review

A melodrama about love and life

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Felix Van Groeningen’s Ghent-set melodrama centres on a couple – tattoo-parlour owner Elise (Veerle Baetens) and banjo player Didier (Johan Heldenbergh) – torn apart when their daughter contracts cancer.

Co-written by Heldenbergh and Mieke Dobbels, based on their own play, it will have you toe-tapping one minute and tear-wiping the next.

Van Groeningen blends the happiness and tragedy of life like a master alchemist, using music as an emotional life-raft, which is just as well: the bleak final third will test the hardiest of souls.

Freelance writer

James Mottram is a freelance film journalist, author of books that dive deep into films like Die Hard and Tenet, and a regular guest on the Total Film podcast. You'll find his writings on 12DOVE and Total Film, and in newspapers and magazines from across the world like The Times, The Independent, The i, Metro, The National, Marie Claire, and MindFood.