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Plot Summary

Breaking and Entering (2006) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2006 · 120 min · English
JustWatch #15,081 9
Directed by
Anthony Minghella
Starring
Robin Wright, Jude Law

A woman haunted by her past finds herself unexpectedly trapped within a mortuary. Confronted by the unsettling presence of a departed loved one, she must confront her inner demons and the unresolved issues that bind her to the past. The experience forces her to reckon with grief, loss, and the lingering impact of past trauma in a chilling and emotionally charged encounter.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Breaking and Entering
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Breaking and Entering (2006)

Where can you watch Breaking and Entering? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome, Fandango at Home Free and Plex: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Breaking and Entering: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Breaking and Entering (2006) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Will Francis, portrayed by Jude Law, is a young English landscape architect leading a monotonous life in London alongside his Swedish American girlfriend, Liv, played by Robin Wright. They have been together for a decade and share the challenge of raising Liv's daughter, Bea, who is a behavioral enigma at the tender age of 13. Bea's irregular sleeping and eating habits, coupled with her unsocial tendencies—preferring somersaults and gymnastics over social interactions—put immense pressure on Will and Liv's already strained relationship.

Seeking to mend the rift, they turn to relationship counseling, but their emotional distance continues to grow. Meanwhile, Will's professional life is also in turmoil. His architectural firm in King's Cross is repeatedly targeted by a group of thieves speaking in Slavic tongues. Among them is Miro, a 15-year-old tracer with remarkable acrobatic talent, who infiltrates the building alongside his mother, Amira (Juliette Binoche), a seamstress and a refugee from Bosnia.

Initially unfazed by the break-ins, Will and his partner Sandy decide to stake out the office after a second robbery, hoping to catch the culprits in the act. During this time, Miro employs his skills to disable the alarm system and continues to pilfer from the office. As Will engages in nightly stakeouts, he finds a bizarre sense of comfort away from the tense atmosphere at home, bridging an unexpected connection with Oana, an Eastern European prostitute.

When Will catches Miro in the act of breaking in one night and starts to follow him, he inadvertently discovers Miro’s modest living situation with Amira. Rather than alert the authorities, he visits them under the pretense of needing a suit mended. This encounter leads Will to become romantically involved with Amira, prompting him to reconsider his life choices. As Will’s relationship with Amira deepens, he increasingly neglects Liv and Bea, leading to complications.

Miro, aware of Will's visits to his home, confronts his mother about the thefts, resulting in Amira returning stolen items to Will while harboring her suspicions. Tensions escalate as Miro's gang threatens him over his interactions with Will. A police detective eventually traces Miro to the burglary, offering him a chance to testify against his gang, but Miro declines.

Meanwhile, Amira confronts Will over a compromising photo of them together, warning him against involving the police, which leaves Will emotionally devastated. The story takes a grave turn when an accident at Will’s construction site severely injures Bea, prompting police involvement in Miro’s case.

At a trial hearing for Miro, Will finds himself torn between his love for Amira and his responsibilities toward Liv and Bea. After much introspection, he decides to tell Liv the truth about his affair, which in turn prompts Liv to encourage him to assist Amira. At the hearing, Will bravely admits his relationship with Amira and confirms that Miro is not the real criminal, leading to Miro’s release.

In the aftermath, Liv and Will solidify their bond through marriage, while Miro and Amira make plans to return to Bosnia for a fresh start. This narrative intricately weaves themes of love, betrayal, and the challenging dynamics of family and redemption.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 14:40

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Plot questions answered

Breaking and Entering Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Breaking and Entering (2006): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Will start an affair with Amira?

Will begins visiting Amira under the pretense of needing a suit mended after discovering her home through following Miro. However, the affair stems from his emotional disconnection from Liv and his attraction to Amira's vulnerability as a Bosnian refugee. He finds a sense of purpose and genuine connection that his troubled relationship with Liv lacks, though this ultimately creates more complications in his life.

Foreshadowing: Will finds unexpected comfort during his nightly stakeouts, suggesting he was already seeking escape from his domestic problems before meeting Amira.

  • will francis
  • amira
  • affair
  • liv
  • emotional disconnection
  • bosnian refugee
Q2

Why does Miro refuse to testify against his gang?

Miro refuses to testify against his gang because doing so would mean betraying the criminal network that provides for him and his mother Amira. As a 15-year-old tracer supporting his family through theft, Miro feels a sense of loyalty and fear toward the gang. Additionally, testifying would expose his own criminal activities and potentially put his mother in danger, making his refusal a protective choice for his family.

  • miro
  • testify
  • gang
  • theft
  • police
  • loyalty
Q3

What happens to Bea at the construction site?

Bea suffers a serious injury at Will's construction site when an accident occurs. The incident prompts police involvement in Miro's case and creates a turning point in the story. The accident forces Will to confront the consequences of his negligence, both in his relationship with Liv and Bea, and in his professional responsibilities. It serves as a catalyst for his eventual moral reckoning and decision to tell Liv the truth.

  • bea
  • construction site
  • accident
  • injury
  • police involvement
Q4

Why does Liv encourage Will to help Amira after learning about the affair?

After Will confesses his affair, Liv surprisingly encourages him to assist Amira. This reaction reflects Liv's own growth and moral character, she recognizes that Amira is a vulnerable refugee mother whose son faces serious criminal charges. Liv's encouragement suggests she understands the complexity of human relationships and wants Will to make the right choice morally, even after being hurt by his infidelity. Her compassion extends beyond her own pain to consider others in difficult situations.

  • liv
  • amira
  • affair
  • forgiveness
  • compassion
  • moral choice
Q5

Why does Will testify that Miro is not the real criminal?

Will testifies that Miro is not the real criminal because he has developed a relationship with Amira and wants to protect her and her son. More importantly, Will realizes that his own moral choices have already caused enough damage to multiple people. By telling the truth at the trial, Will attempts to rectify both his personal betrayals and the broader injustice of punishing a teenage thief while the actual criminals go free. This decision represents his final moral reckoning after months of evasion and personal failure.

Foreshadowing: Will's earlier choice to visit Amira instead of reporting the thefts set him on a path where he gained knowledge that could exonerate Miro.

  • will
  • miro
  • trial
  • testimony
  • criminal
  • court
Q6

Why does Amira return the stolen items to Will?

Amira returns the stolen items after Miro confronts her about Will's visits to their home. Miro, aware that Will has been coming around, suspects something is wrong and confronts his mother about the thefts. Amira returns the items to Will while harboring suspicions about his motives, attempting to maintain some moral integrity while also protecting her son from the consequences of their criminal activities. This act also signals her growing unease about the complicated situation.

Foreshadowing: Miro's confrontation with Amira about Will's visits foreshadows her decision to return the stolen items.

  • amira
  • stolen items
  • miro
  • return
  • theft
Q7

Why do Miro and Amira decide to return to Bosnia at the end?

Miro and Amira decide to return to Bosnia for a fresh start after the trial resolves their legal troubles. With Miro released due to Will's testimony and their criminal past no longer threatening them, they choose to leave London and return to their home country. This ending represents their opportunity to escape the poverty and criminal lifestyle that defined their time in London, offering Miro a chance at a normal life away from gangs and theft.

  • miro
  • amira
  • bosnia
  • return
  • fresh start
  • london
Q8

What does Will discover during his nightly stakeouts?

During his nightly stakeouts at the office, Will discovers a sense of escape from his troubled home life with Liv and Bea. While initially hoping to catch the burglars, he instead finds comfort in the routine and purpose that the stakeouts provide. More significantly, he forms an unexpected connection with Oana, an Eastern European prostitute, which provides him emotional solace. The stakeouts become his refuge from the growing tension in his primary relationship.

Foreshadowing: The stakeouts initially seem professional but quickly become a form of personal escape for Will.

  • will
  • stakeouts
  • oana
  • prostitute
  • escape
  • comfort
Q9

What does it mean that Miro is a tracer?

Miro is described as a tracer, which is slang for a skilled thief who uses acrobatic abilities to break into buildings, particularly by climbing or bypassing security systems. At only 15 years old, Miro possesses remarkable talent for infiltration, using his agility to disable alarm systems and enter buildings undetected. This skill makes him valuable to the criminal gang and explains how he repeatedly broke into Will's office.

  • miro
  • tracer
  • thief
  • acrobat
  • alarm system
  • break-in
Q10

Why does Bea's behavior cause tension in the relationship?

Bea's behavioral issues create significant strain on Will and Liv's relationship because they represent an ongoing challenge neither can fully resolve. At 13 years old, Bea exhibits irregular sleeping and eating habits and prefers gymnastics to social interaction, making her difficult to manage. Will and Liv's inability to address Bea's problems despite years of effort contributes to their emotional distance. The stress of parenting a child with behavioral challenges is one of the core issues driving Will toward his affair.

Foreshadowing: The couple's decision to seek relationship counseling directly stems from the pressure of raising Bea.

  • bea
  • behavioral issues
  • tension
  • liv
  • parenting
  • stress

Movie threads

More Movies Like Breaking and Entering, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Breaking and Entering tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Urban Dramas of Moral Compromise like Breaking and Entering

Professionals facing ethical grey areas against the backdrop of a modern city. If you liked the ethical quandaries and city-life setting of Breaking and Entering, explore more movies like it. These similar dramas focus on professionals navigating infidelity, crime, and complex relationships in a gritty urban backdrop.

  • tense
  • morally ambiguous
  • atmospheric
  • introspective
  • urban
  • anxious
  • Tone: tense, introspective
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories typically follow a successful but discontented professional whose life is upended by an encounter that challenges their morality. This leads to a secret life or affair, creating tension between their public persona and private compromises, often culminating in a reckoning.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their shared focus on mid-life crises, the ethical grey zones of urban professionals, and the way city settings amplify feelings of anonymity and moral slippage. The tone is consistently tense and introspective.

Movies with Bittersweet Relationship Endings like Breaking and Entering

Stories where fractured relationships are mended, but not without lasting scars. Viewers who appreciated the complex emotional resolution of Breaking and Entering will find more movies like it here. These films feature strained relationships that reach a bittersweet, realistic conclusion, blending hope with the acceptance of past pain.

  • bittersweet
  • melancholic
  • introspective
  • emotional
  • strained
  • hopeful
  • Tone: melancholic, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves characters grappling with the fallout of betrayal or neglect within a central relationship. Through confrontation and difficult choices, they achieve a form of closure or new beginning, but the resolution acknowledges what was lost or broken along the way.

Why they belong together: They share a common emotional journey centered on repairing relational damage, resulting in a bittersweet ending feel. The pacing is steady, allowing for deep exploration of character motivations and the emotional weight of their choices.

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Every angle

Breaking and Entering (2006) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Breaking and Entering in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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