There's something strange about a romantic comedy when the guy and the girl only share about half a dozen scenes together. Zoe Cassavetes film feels like something we've seen before: Lonely But Moderately Successful New York Girl Goes Through Series of Losers And Discovers She Needs To Do Work On Herself Before The Right Guy Can Stand A Chance. Oh, And Right Guy Is Foreign. It's a little like watching Cliff's Notes for Sex and the City.
I enjoyed Parker Posey's performance, although it didn't delve into anything too dark or deep. As Nora she had inspired comic timing, especially when she was self-deprecating, but the film needed something more than competence to keep it fresh. The guys were the typical guys in typical romantic comedies: all losers in one way or another, or impossibly perfect, but taken (at least we were spared the cliche of her dating someone gay). Even the character of Julian, played affectionately by Melvil Poupaud, lacked any depth or even a back story. He just appears at a party and becomes 'the one' because he pursues her and brings her water when she's hung over without her asking. Drea de Mateo stands out as Nora's best friend. The true love story in this film was between the two of them. They are the only ones who say "I love you" and can sleep in a bed together without getting it on. They are also the only ones who seem to know each other intimately and accept each other unconditionally. Too bad they're hetero -- their relationship was the most interesting part of the film.
Broken English has significant plot problems. The second act drags. At one point Nora gets happy and then orders too many cannolis and has a strange anxiety attack that appears out of nowhere and goes no place. When Nora goes to Paris to find Julian and then misplaces his number it almost seems like another movie is starting halfway through the first one. And what was with the mysterious package she delivers to the mysterious old lady who acts like but isn't her grandmother (or is she her grandmother? huh?). The ending is floppy, utterly contrived, and devastatingly safe. You never get the feeling that Nora is in love with Julian because you never really know who Julian is. She's more in love with the idea of being in love with Julian. But hey, if that makes her happy, then great, I'm happy she's happy. How interesting.
