Broken

Broken

Year: 2013

Runtime: 91 min

Language: Spanish

Director: Rufus Norris

Drama

As summer begins, an 11-year-old girl named Skunk confronts difficult truths, including managing diabetes and navigating a neighborhood full of hidden secrets. After witnessing a violent attack, her perception of the world shifts dramatically. Surrounded by lies and grappling with illness, she searches for comfort within her family and community, but finds that everything she knows has become uncertain and potentially dangerous.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Broken yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Broken (2013)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Broken (2013). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

The movie is set in the contemporary period, showcasing elements of modern urban life, election politics, and the struggles of a private detective in today's socio-economic climate. It highlights pressing issues such as corruption in politics, personal betrayal, and the impacts of gentrification on vulnerable communities.

Location

Bolton Village, Montauk, New York City

Bolton Village is a neighborhood in New York City that becomes a central focus of the mayor's controversial real estate deals, affecting the lives of its impoverished residents. Montauk, located at the eastern tip of Long Island, is known for its stunning beaches and celebrity culture, serving as both a retreat and a backdrop for tense developments in the story.

🏙️ Urban 🌊 Beach

Last Updated: December 24, 2024 at 10:03

Main Characters – Broken (2013)

Meet the key characters of Broken (2013), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg)

Billy Taggart is a troubled NYPD detective turned private investigator, haunted by a past that intertwines personal and professional failures. His complex emotions arise from his flawed judgments, leading him on a path of self-destruction as he navigates a world filled with moral ambiguity.

🕵️‍♂️ Detective 💔 Flawed Hero

Natalie Barrow (Natalie Martinez)

Natalie Barrow, an aspiring actress, becomes a source of heartache for Taggart as their relationships crumble under the weight of secrets and betrayal. Her strong connection to the case emotionally ties her to the tragic event that shaped both their lives, highlighting her resilience despite the turmoil.

🎬 Actress 🤝 Loyalty

Mayor Nicholas Hostetler (Russell Crowe)

Mayor Nicholas Hostetler is characterized as a cunning politician willing to manipulate those around him to maintain power. His facade of integrity masks deep-seated corruption, making him a formidable opponent for Taggart as he strives to protect his interests at all costs.

🏛️ Politician 🕶️ Manipulator

Captain Carl Fairbanks (Jeffrey Wright)

Captain Carl Fairbanks serves as both a mentor and an adversary to Taggart. Having transitioned from a commanding officer to Police Commissioner, Fairbanks walks a fine line between professional duty and personal connections, ultimately revealing his own complicated morality.

👮‍♂️ Commander ⚖️ Complicated

Last Updated: December 24, 2024 at 10:03

Major Themes – Broken (2013)

Explore the central themes of Broken (2013), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Justice

The theme of justice permeates the narrative as detective Billy Taggart grapples with his own past and the systemic failures of the legal system. The film questions the true nature of justice in a world where political power and personal interests often collide, leaving the most vulnerable at risk.

💔 Betrayal

Betrayal is a profound theme, presented through personal relationships and political allegiances. Taggart's journey exposes infidelities in both his personal life and the flirtation between politics and corruption, magnifying the pain of lost trust and loyalty.

🍷 Redemption

Redemption plays a crucial role in the development of Taggart’s character as he battles his own demons, including alcoholism and guilt. His willingness to expose the mayor's corruption symbolizes an attempt to reclaim his integrity and mend broken relationships.

Last Updated: December 24, 2024 at 10:03

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about lost childhood innocence like Broken

Stories where a child's safe world is fractured by adult secrets and violence.If you liked Broken's portrayal of a young girl confronting a dangerous world, explore these movies about childhood innocence shattered by harsh realities. These similar dramas focus on young protagonists navigating trauma, secrets, and moral complexities in their communities.

melancholicanxiousgrittymorally complexheartbreakingsuspensefulcynical

Narrative Summary

These narratives often begin with a stable, if naive, world from a child's perspective. A pivotal event—a witnessed crime, a discovered secret, or a personal illness—acts as a catalyst, tearing down this innocence. The story then follows the child's struggle to reconcile this new, frightening reality with their previous understanding of safety and trust, often with little guidance from the adults around them.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a heavy emotional weight and a bittersweet or bleak tone, as they explore the painful transition from childhood naivety to a more cynical awareness. The pacing is often steady, building tension through the child's dawning realization, and the intensity is high due to the vulnerability of the protagonist and the gravity of the themes.

Gritty neighborhood thrillers with hidden secrets like Broken

Tense stories where a seemingly ordinary community hides dark, interconnected secrets.For viewers who liked the tense atmosphere of Broken, this list features gritty dramas where a community's dark secrets are slowly uncovered. These movies share a paranoid, anxious mood and explore the moral collapse lurking beneath the surface of everyday life.

tenseparanoidgrittysuspensefulanxiousmorally complexclaustrophobic

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically unfolds within a microcosm, where a triggering event (like a violent attack) exposes the fragility of the social fabric. The protagonist, who may be an observer or a reluctant investigator, uncovers a web of betrayal and moral compromise that implicates their neighbors and loved ones. The plot is driven by a steady drip of revelations that increase the sense of paranoia and danger.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their consistently tense and gritty tone, their focus on systemic moral decay within a small world, and their steady pacing that builds suspense. They create an anxious, paranoid viewing experience where the setting itself becomes a character, charged with hidden threats and unspoken rules.

Unlock the Full Story of Broken

Don't stop at just watching — explore Broken in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Broken is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Broken Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Broken, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Broken Summary

Broken Timeline

Track the full timeline of Broken with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Broken Timeline

Broken Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Broken that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Broken Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Broken

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Broken: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Broken

Similar Movies to Broken

Discover movies like Broken that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.