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Poster for Broken English

Broken English

Sometimes when you make love you make war.

1996 · 1h 32m · NC-17 Drama, Romance
Directed by Gregor Nicholas

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Overview

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.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
82%
Tomatometer
Fresh

An absorbing portrait of New Zealand's ill-blended melting pot.

Mike Clark, USA Today
Fresh

The situation is not original, but the setting makes it seem so, and the director and co-writer, Gregor Nicholas, is alert to nuances of the characters.

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

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