John Boyega and the late, great Michael K. Williams are at the center of a life-or-death standoff in the first trailer for “Breaking,” previously titled “892.”
Based on actual events that occurred in 2017, “Breaking” follows a Marine veteran named Brian Brown-Easley (Boyega) who hits his breaking point when Veterans Affairs misses his monthly disability check. Running out of ways to support his wife (Olivia Washington) and young daughter (London Covington), Brown-Easley slips a note to an Atlanta bank teller reading: “I have a bomb.”
A “Dog Day Afternoon”-style holdup ensues as the customers clear the building and the employees – led by manager Estel Valerie (Nicole Beharie) and Rosa Diaz (Selenis Leyva) try to stay calm. Brown-Easley does indeed have a bomb, and a plan to kill himself and everyone in the building if his demands are not met.
The hostage situation draws the attention of everyone from the media (including TV anchor Lisa Larson, played by Connie Britton) to the military. Leading the intervention effort is Sgt. Eli Bernard (Michael K. Williams, in one of his last screen roles).
As the clock ticks and pressure builds on both sides, Bernard must try to get through to Brown-Easley before it’s too late. “Everything you do matters,” he tells him over the phone. “You matter. All you got to do now is just make good, Brian.”
“Breaking” was directed by Abi Damaris Corbin, who wrote the script with Kwame Kwei-Armah. It was produced by Ashley Levinson, Salman Al-Rashid, Sam Frohman, Kevin Turen, and Mackenzie Fargo.
Bleecker Street acquired the rights to “Breaking” out of Sundance, where the film won the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast at the U.S. Dramatic Competition.
“Breaking” premieres in theaters nationwide on Aug. 26, 2022.
Watch the trailer above and here.
