Breaking/892 is a film I'd like to refer to as an emotionally candid hostage thriller. The storytelling follows a non-linear style, slowly giving us details into what went wrong in ex-Marine Brian Brown-Easley's life and what led him to "hold up a bank". Writers Abi Damaris Corbin (who directs) and Kwame Kwei-Armah punctuate the screenplay with sharp, hard-hitting dialogue that convey its upright (but underlying) intentions. John Boyega's performance as the protagonist is terrific, slowly and steadily drawing you in. He also gets good support from Nicole Beharie, Michael Kenneth Williams (RIP), and London Covington. The telephonic exchanges between Brian and his daughter prove to be the film's emotional spine while the somewhat thrilling hostage situation keeps us rooting for Brian's survival. The climax is moving too, even if you can predict a particular aspect of it.
If this story left a mark, I'd recommend watching an Indian film - Pada (2022, Malayalam), currently available on Prime Video.
If this story left a mark, I'd recommend watching an Indian film - Pada (2022, Malayalam), currently available on Prime Video.