Don't Go Breaking My Heart
UK 1998
Reviewed by Julianne Pidduck
Synopsis
Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.
Tony, an American in London, is a sports therapist down on his luck. He's fired by his employer Linford Christie and his relationship with his girlfriend Diane is on its last legs. Meanwhile, 18 months after her cherished husband's death, Suzanne struggles to raise two children by herself and run her houseplant-consultancy business. Suzanne's close friends push the reluctant widow to start dating again and Frank, a family friend and dentist, feels that he's just the man for her. During a series of dental procedures, Frank hypnotises Suzanne, prompting her in this suggestible state to see the man who visits that evening "in a whole new light". When Tony appears by coincidence, Suzanne responds amorously to him.
Frank's seduction plot thwarted, Tony and Suzanne enjoy a tryst. Suzanne's teenage son Ben is deeply affected by the loss of his father and Tony helps him to re-establish self-confidence through sport. Discovering the hypnotism plot, Suzanne doubts the truth of her feelings and breaks things off with Tony. As he helps Ben train for a big race, the dejected Tony contemplates a job in the US. At the eleventh hour, Tony skips his New York-bound flight to witness Ben's triumphant finish in a race and to fall once again into Suzanne's arms, who realises that she really loves him.
Review
Romantic comedy often stakes its game on the collision of two lonely or even mismatched people. Cross-cutting between the dinner preparations of pensive Hampstead widow Suzanne and sports therapist Tony's humble cross-London bus journey, the opening credits of Don't Go Breaking My Heart offer the generic ingredients of a girl, a boy and a circumstantial distance to be overcome. With its saturated primary colours and brisk montage quickened by Elton John and Kiki Dee's well-known song, this sequence establishes the crisp look and upbeat pace of music videos or television advertising. You can tell by the jauntiness that director Willi Patterson, making his feature-film debut here, used to make commercials. (Screenwriter Geoff Morrow, a songwriter whose credits include Barry Manilow's 'Can't Smile without You', is also making his first venture into features here.) With liberal dollops of simple sentiment and pop music, the film skips lightly along.
Cinematographer Vernon Layton and production designer Tony Noble present compelling views of familiar London landmarks and create lushly textured environments - Suzanne's tasteful Homes and Gardens residence, Frank's blindingly white dental surgery. At the heart of it all, Jenny Seagrove, better known for her theatre work, emanates winsome, wounded reserve. Her poised elegance makes an apt foil for Anthony Edwards' engaging American directness. (With his sensitivity and balding ordinariness, Tony is a tightly trousered incarnation of ER's Mark Greene.) These contrasting performance styles are enhanced by strong ensemble supporting work.
With all these intriguing elements at hand, Don't Go Breaking My Heart founders at the dramatic core in the delicate play of pathos and humour. Suzanne's pensive, sorrowful state is assuaged only by the rather contrived catalyst of hypnotism. To his credit, Charles Dance breathes some humanity into Frank, the philandering dentist. But despite all efforts, an uninspired script and uneven direction fail to make Suzanne's unhappy lurches from mourning widow to tender lover plausible.
A stock element of romantic comedy from It Happened One Night to As Good As It Gets, such mood shifts rely most of all on the chemistry between the romantic leads. Lulled by upscale interiors and a catchy soundtrack, the viewer might just overlook the obvious plot device and the bumpy dramatic progression. But that intangible something is sorely missing here. Seagrove is too frosty, and Edwards too wooden to thaw her. Lacking the character depth or perhaps the charisma for a leading man, Tony comes to life most when on one knee, talking tactics with Suzanne's son Ben. In this mix of family melodrama and romance, the most compelling moments arise from Ben and Tony's relationship, leaving Suzanne still in quest of a paramour.
Credits
- Producer
- Bill Kenwright
- Screenplay
- Geoff Morrow
- Director of Photography
- Vernon Layton
- Editor
- Peter Beston
- Production Designer
- Tony Noble
- Music
- Rolfe Kent
- ©Bill Kenright Films Ltd
- Production Companies
- PolyGram Filmed Entertainment presents
- a Bill Kenright Films production
- Executive Producers
- Aviator Films:
- Anthony Edwards
- Danté di Loreto
- Line Producer
- Selwyn Roberts
- Associate Producers
- Brett Finnigan
- Rod H. Coton
- Penny Corke
- Production Co-ordinator
- Danielle Brandon
- Location Manager
- Nigel Gostelow
- 2nd Unit Director
- Selwyn Roberts
- Assistant Directors
- David Daniels
- Toby Ford
- Jim Threapleton
- Script Supervisor
- Sheila Wilson
- Casting
- John Hubbard
- Ros Hubbard
- US:
- Pat McCorkle
- UK Associate:
- Lisa-Ann Porter
- Camera Operator
- George Richmond
- Cameraman/Operator
- 2nd Unit:
- David Shillingford
- Steadicam Operators
- Howard Smith
- Alf Tramontin
- Digital Visual Effects
- The Film Factory at VTR
- Digital Film
- Set Decorator
- Brenda Roberson
- Scenic Artists
- James Hunt
- Rachel MacFadyen
- Storyboard Artists
- John Greaves
- Tony Chance
- Costume Designer
- Elizabeth Waller
- Wardrobe Master
- Adrian Simmons
- Wardrobe Mistress
- Jill Avery
- Make-up
- Designer:
- Tina Earnshaw
- Artists:
- Elizabeth Lewis
- Rebecca Lafford
- Hair Designer
- Carol Hemming
- Front Titles
- Fly Design
- Front/End Titles
- Peerless Camera Company
- Additional Film Opticals
- Capital FX (London)
- Music Performed by
- The Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Allan Wilson
- Orchestrations
- Tony Blondal
- Additional:
- Kerry Wikstrom
- Music Supervisor
- Liz Schrek
- Music Co-ordinator
- Paul Talkington
- Music Editor
- Peter Beston
- Music Recording Engineer
- Keith Grant
- Soundtrack
- "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Anne Orson, Blanche Carte, performed by Elton John, Kiki Dee; "Il pleure dans mon coeur", "L'Extase langoureuse" from "La Chanson bien douce" by Billy Cowie, performed by Lucie Robson, Cathryn Robson; "Fantastic Friend", "Flowers in Bloom", "Have You Ever Been in Love" by Steve Cutmore, performed by Kolony; "I Get Around" by Brian Wilson, performed by The Meteors; "Slam Dunk (Da Funk)" by Brenda Crichlow, Martin Sandberg, Dag Volle, Jacob Schultze, Denniz Pop, performed by Five; "Love Must Be Catching" by Merle Travis, performed by Julie London; "I Like It" by Mitch Murray, performed by Gerry and The Pacemakers; "Loving and Free" by/performed by Kiki Dee; "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" by Leo Sayer, Vini Poncia, performed by Leo Sayer; "Three Little Maids from School" by W.S. Gilbert, A.S. Sullivan, arranged by Iain Donald, performed by Hampton School Symphony Orchestra, choreographer: Henry Metcalfe, musical director: David Steadman
- Sound Mixers
- Peter Lindsay
- 2nd Unit:
- Mike Harris
- Dubbing Mixer
- David Humphries
- Sound Editor
- Kevin Brazier
- Dialogue Editor
- Rick Dunford
- Foley
- Artists:
- John Fewell
- Julie Ankerson
- Mixer:
- Trevor Swanscott
- 'Levi' Supplied by
- Stunt Dogs
- Dog Handler
- Julie Tottman
- Cast
- Anthony Edwards
- Tony
- Jenny Seagrove
- Suzanne
- Charles Dance
- Frank
- Jane Leeves
- Juliet
- Tom Conti
- Doctor Fiedler
- Linford Christie
- himself
- Ben Reynolds
- Ben
- Ace Ryan
- Natalie
- Amanda Holden
- nurse
- Susannah Doyle
- Diane
- Trevyn McDowell
- Sharon
- Philip McGough
- Douglas
- Richard Platt
- Richard
- Lynda Bellingham
- Maxine
- George Layton
- Max
- Nadine Hanwell
- Josephine
- James Elvey
- Wayne
- Julian Morris
- Charlie
- Meteors
- The Bitch Boys
- Suggs
- Rex
- Sam Stockman
- David
- Luke Mullinger
- Pete 'Bossman'
- Michael Peluso
- Matthew
- Pip Miller
- Benedict
- Cris Cabitac
- dental receptionist
- Jeremy Child
- commentator
- Levi
- herself
- Certificate
- PG
- Distributor
- PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
- 8,430 feet
- 93 minutes 40 seconds
- Dolby
- In Colour