A Christian Critic Movie Parable
BROKEDOWN PALACE ** out of **** ================
DIRECTED BY: Jonathan Kaplan STARRING: Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman, Jacqui Kim, Daniel Lapaine, Lou Diamond Phillips WRITTEN BY: David Arata RATED: PG-13 for brief strong material, drug related material, and some violent content. SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: 2 Corinthians 5:10, Ecclesiastes 12:14, Romans 14:12
BROKEDOWN PALACE has three things working against it. It has been done before. (MIDNIGHT EXPRESS) It has been done recently. (RETURN TO PARADISE) And it has been done better. (Both of the above) But since lack of originality has never stopped filmmakers, we find ourselves with another opportunity to examine what happens when American tourists are arrested for drug smuggling while in a foreign country.
Alice and Darlene are best friends. Deciding that they are deserving of one last unforgettable vacation together after their high school graduation, they make plans to travel to Thailand. Why? They have no real reason except a hotel room there can be had for six dollars per night. Besides, Thailand means "freedom", a piece of trivia that proves irresistible to two naive and iconoclastic young girls. Looking for a way to break free of the "oppression" of their privileged upbringing, they pack their bags and head to Thailand, giggling all the way.
Upon encountering the intense and unrelenting heat of Eastern Asia, Alice gets the brainstorm to fraudulently lounge pool side at a five star resort. There they meet Nick Parks who, after partying with them, invites them on a weekend jaunt to Hong Kong. But a funny thing happens on the way to Macao... they get busted for possession of heroin and tossed into prison without a moment of hesitation.
The rest of the movie deals with their attempts to prove their innocence, first to the authorities, then to their lawyer, and finally to themselves.
Claire Danes (THE MOD SQUAD) is Alice, the "wild" one of the duo. Throughout the film, Miss Danes, bravely defiant and wearing her teen-aged angst on her shoulder like a badge of honor, poses and postures more than she acts. Whatever it is that she's doing is not enough to lift the story by newcomers Adam Fields and David Arata out of the melodramatic rut that it has dug for itself.
Kate Beckinsale (THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO) plays Darlene with a bit more subtlety. The more reserved of the pair, Miss Beckinsale conveys a sweetness and charm that is set in contrast to the bleak and unforgiving environment into which her character is thrust.
Bill Pullman (LAKE PLACID) and Jacqui Kim (STAR TREK: GENERATIONS) portray the girls' lawyers, Yankee Hank Green and his wife Yon. They take the case, at first for the money it brings and then later for the injustice being levied against their clients. Mr. Pullman's performance as a man trying to work in a strange and crooked system is the best thing about the movie.
Director Jonathan Kaplan (THE ACCUSED) obviously positioned the film to appeal to the teen-age market. It has the feel of being made with the same arrogance of youth and counterculture mentality that seems to be so prevalent among our teens. The parents of the film are either helpless and weak or hopelessly opinionated fools. They are rendered powerless because they work within the system rather than against it.
It is a system that does not look favorably upon our heroines. The girls learn that in Thailand, when accused of a crime, their entire lives come under scrutiny. As the Republicans tried to tell us in 1992, "character does matter."
Ultimately, we will all be judged according to our actions and words. Not by a crooked or corrupt system which operates on bribery and pride but rather by the Judge of all righteousness before whom all will eventually stand.
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10 [KJV]
At that time, neither bribes nor excuses will have an impact. The only things that will change the outcome of our time before the judgment seat of Christ are the actions we take and the decisions we make prior to reaching it.
Michael Elliott August 1999 http://www.christiancritic.com
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