Brokedown Palace is a Warning Film

Americans talk a lot of bunk. We accept that in our pride of the Constitutional right to "Freedom of Speech". Many Americans have barked the emotionally packed threat of "I'll just leave the country," when the problems in our nation seem too overwhelming or when an American is talking the bunk of a spoiled brat. Americans know that Americans are not "perfect" and neither is our "justice system" but Patriots do the best they can to uphold what we have and keep going. I say all of this before I get into the details of this movie review because this movie (Brokedown Palace) is the reason I am a liar if I say "I want to leave the country." I do not want to leave my country, and mostly it's because as messed up as my country is regarding "liberty and justice for all" this film depicts how it may be much, much worse in other countries.

In 1970, The Grateful Dead put out an album titled "American Beauty" which contained a song titled "Brokedown Palace". This album must have been quite iconic to inspire the titles of at least two profound films. (Honestly, I've never listened to the album, but today I listened to the song for the first time.) I think parallel line references are very interesting. The film "Brokedown Palace" was released in 1999, directed by Jonathan Kaplan. I give the film 4.5 stars out of 5. I do not give this a perfect score because Beckinsale's performance as Darlene Davis was very weak and while the rest of the cast was on the mark, she was the weakest link.

The cast includes Claire Danes (as Alice Marano), Bill Pullman (as their lawyer Hank Green), Daniel Lapaine (as Nick Parks). and Lou Diamond Phillips and Paul Walker contributions. The plot is simple: Two besties (Alice and Darlene) go to Thailand for a beautiful vacation. There they meet Nick, who causes strife between the friends, but more than that gets them framed as drug smugglers so they end up in a Thailand jail. I won't spoil the plot any further because I want you to see the movie.

The reason this film made an impact on me and I'm remembering it today is because the movie is over 20 years old and is still the reason I don't want to leave the country. The last time I left the country was in 1995, when I did a tour of Southern England. I hadn't seen "Brokedown Palace" yet, because it came out four years later.

Like I said, Americans talk a lot of bunk. They say things all the time that they don't really mean. I do it too. Maybe we do abuse our Constitutional right to "Freedom of Speech" but at least here in the good ol USA we know that is our right. We don't know how it is in other countries. That's what this movie is trying to tell Americans. Your American rights don't matter worth a lick in other countries. Are you sure you want to go? Watch this movie, before you decide, that's my only advice. I'm not going. I like it here in America where I know my rights. I like it here in America where I know the language. I like it here in America, where I'm a citizen. I like it here in America, where I know I can get food that won't make me barf.

The movie "Brokedown Palace" is a warning film. Maybe all the people who were talking smack about "leaving the country" during the elections haven't seen the film. Or maybe they forgot about it. Or maybe they just need a reminder so they can stop talking so much bunk.

Oh, one more thing. Robert Pattinson is not credited for his debut as CLARK in this movie; a short cameo which is not mentioned in his filmography or on any internet sources. It was before he was in Harry Potter, obviously.