‘Broken Diamonds’ Review: Disease as Narrative Ease

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The series “Broken Diamonds” begins with the death of a family head and the reunion of distant siblings. Scott (Ben Platt) is a writer hoping to escape to a career in Paris, but when his father dies, he is forced into the role of babysitter for his older sister Cindy (Lola Kirke). She and Scott began showing symptoms of schizophrenia when they were teenagers, and as an adult lives in a care facility that aims to deport her for her bad behavior. Cindy is released to live with Scott, but her impatience in the role makes it difficult for Scott to maintain stability.

This movie dramatizes the impact mental illness has on families, but unfortunately the portrayal of Cindy’s life with schizophrenia never goes beyond the cliché. The difficulty with making up a story about mental or other illness is that flare-ups in life are neither moral nor completely predictable. Director Peter Sattler emphasizes the uncontrollable nature of Cindy’s illness as a plot point, but the narrative relevance of her mental state is evident in every movement, every line of dialogue, and every movement of the camera.

Cindy’s ups and downs align directly with Scott’s behavior, her character’s need to evolve. When she experiences a crisis, collapse predictably turns into climax story rhythms. The film treats illness as a series of intrigues, the engine that keeps the plot moving, and the result of this approach is a film that feels lifeless or worse, reductive. It brings drama out of a disorder and offers no insight, no beauty, no humor in return.

broken diamonds
It is rated PG-13 for references to self-harm and language. Working time: 1 hour 30 minutes. In theaters and can be rented or purchased FandangoNow, Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay-TV operators.

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