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Title: When the Bough Breaks (2016)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Morris Chestnut | ... |
John Taylor
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| Regina Hall | ... |
Laura Taylor
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| Romany Malco | ... |
Todd Decker
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| Michael Kenneth Williams | ... |
Roland White
(as Michael K. Williams)
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| Glenn Morshower | ... |
Martin Cooper
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| Theo Rossi | ... |
Mike Mitchell
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| Jaz Sinclair | ... |
Anna Walsh
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| GiGi Erneta | ... |
Dr. Grace Park
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| Tom Nowicki | ... |
Peter Kaye
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| Denise Gossett | ... |
Carol
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Janee Michelle | ... |
John's Mother
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| Carrie Lazar | ... |
Yoga Instructor
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| Ariadne Joseph | ... |
Nurse
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| Matthew M. Mitchell | ... |
Security Guard #1
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| Maurice Johnson | ... |
Security Guard #2
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John and Laura Taylor (Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall) are a young, professional couple who desperately want a baby. After exhausting all other options, they finally hire Anna (Jaz Sinclair), the perfect woman to be their surrogate - but as she gets further along in her pregnancy, so too does her psychotic and dangerous fixation on the husband. The couple becomes caught up in Anna's deadly game and must fight to regain control of their future before it's too late. Written by Sony Pictures
When The Bough Breaks (2016) directed by Jon Cassar is truthfully a mess. it probably would have worked much better as a TV movie. firstly because there is nothing here that would require editing for it to be shown on television, and secondly because it just feels like a movie written for television. Jon Cassar is known for his contributions to the television industry and is in fact good at what he does. when it comes to this film (his first theatrical release) it feels like much of the same. the story doesn't offer anything that can really compete with big budget theatrical releases nor does it offer anything suspenseful or interesting. just by watching the trailer you have essentially seen the entire movie minus the ending. but let's go a little more in depth.
Morris Chestnut does the best with what he's given, and what he's given isn't very much to work with. the man does have talent but it is nowhere close to being fully tapped into with this role. which makes me beg the question, why would he accept this role in the first place? Jaz Sinclair does an excellent job here and really chews the scenery in nearly every scene she's in. it's just a shame she put that kind of performance on screen in such a dull and uninspired film. she is by no means worthy of an Oscar nomination, but she is without a doubt the best part of the film, and does display some true talent. pretty well everybody else in the film are all forgettable or just fine.
when talking about the plot, two words explain it all. wasted. potential. as I've already stated, by watching the trailer you've pretty well seen the entire movie. I can't help but feel that there was so much potential in this story to really amp up the craziness and suspense factor but instead we get a very tame and uneventful film that moves at a snails pace. it really feels like a TV movie in terms of plot. many plot points as well as the ending are very predictable and anticlimactic. I mean how could they not have been when you've already seen them in the trailer? there's nothing interesting or memorable here in regards to camera work, lighting, sound design, or the score. really everything is underwhelming and unmemorable.
I give it 3 stars for its solid production values and good acting by Chestnut and Sinclair. other than that there is really nothing here of merit.
the verdict: 3/10