BROKEDOWN PALACE (1999)

Directed By: Jonathan Kaplan 
Written By: David Arata 
Story By: David Arata & Adam Fields 
Cinematography By: Newton Thomas Sigel 
Editor: Curtiss Clayton 


Cast: Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jaqueline Kim, John Doe, Tom Amandes, Daniel Lapaine, Aimee Graham, Amanda DeCadent 


Alice and Darlene, best friends, decide to take a trip to Thailand to celebrate high-school graduation. While there, they are befriended by charming Australian rogue Nick Parks. Nick convinces them to take a weekend side trip to Hong Kong, but at the airport, they are busted for smuggling drugs. They are convicted in a show trial and sentenced to 33 years; in desperation, they contact Yankee Hank, an American lawyer based in Thailand who has been reported to be helpful if you've got the cash.

Watching this film feels like watching an expensive international after school special with a good soundtrack. The film shows the danger waiting for young girls who get seduced and takes into things they should know is wrong while traveling abroad. A public service message.

The film shows what was actually out there as far as films for teenage actors or actors of acclaim who still looked too young for certain roles. As this film geeked more written for the talents of Claire Danes.

The film focuses on the trial of the two teenage character and trying to get them out of jail. As well as the horror of prison abroad and the conditions they must suffer through. Which is along way from the horrors some of the audience might have seen in the movie MIDNIGHT EXPRESS. Which this film comes off as a teenage light version of, yet never comes close to how explosive or dangerous that film was.

The film mainly comes off as melodramatic and not as hard hitting as the film expects. The dynamic of the dwindling friendship behind prison walls is where the meat of the story lies. As both characters are innocent in their own way.

Kate Beckinsale in her second noteworthy performance (the first was in COLD COMFORT FARM) is ultimately playing the saintly victim of the film who is slowly losing her mind as she folds under pressure continuously. Jennifer Love Hewitt lost the role of Darlene to Kate Beckinsale because of scheduling conflicts.

Claire Danes as the more rebellious and fearless one is hard to believe at first but her performance finally comes along as the film progresses. As at first she is more flirty and troubled who ends up being the toughest. Almost like the final girl of a horror film.

The film actually becomes more interesting as it goes along. It’s a good time waster that never comes close to being exploitive.

Though the drama is more interesting then the thriller aspects. The film presents a what’s the worst that could happen to two young Caucasian girls on vacation. As the film comes off as classist many times, but doesn’t make it seem like that is wrong or a bad thing. One could understand looking at it as a culture shock. Though here it feels a bit blatant.


GRADE: C