Breaking and Entering 2006

Will Francis, portrayed by Jude Law, is a young English landscape architect leading a monotonous life in London alongside his Swedish American girlfriend, Liv, played by Robin Wright. They have been together for a decade and share the challenge of raising Liv’s daughter, Bea, who is a behavioral enigma at the tender age of 13. Bea’s irregular sleeping and eating habits, coupled with her unsocial tendencies—preferring somersaults and gymnastics over social interactions—put immense pressure on Will and Liv’s already strained relationship.

Seeking to mend the rift, they turn to relationship counseling, but their emotional distance continues to grow. Meanwhile, Will’s professional life is also in turmoil. His architectural firm in King’s Cross is repeatedly targeted by a group of thieves speaking in Slavic tongues. Among them is Miro, a 15-year-old tracer with remarkable acrobatic talent, who infiltrates the building alongside his mother, Amira (Juliette Binoche), a seamstress and a refugee from Bosnia.

Initially unfazed by the break-ins, Will and his partner Sandy decide to stake out the office after a second robbery, hoping to catch the culprits in the act. During this time, Miro employs his skills to disable the alarm system and continues to pilfer from the office. As Will engages in nightly stakeouts, he finds a bizarre sense of comfort away from the tense atmosphere at home, bridging an unexpected connection with Oana, an Eastern European prostitute.

When Will catches Miro in the act of breaking in one night and starts to follow him, he inadvertently discovers Miro’s modest living situation with Amira. Rather than alert the authorities, he visits them under the pretense of needing a suit mended. This encounter leads Will to become romantically involved with Amira, prompting him to reconsider his life choices. As Will’s relationship with Amira deepens, he increasingly neglects Liv and Bea, leading to complications.

Miro, aware of Will’s visits to his home, confronts his mother about the thefts, resulting in Amira returning stolen items to Will while harboring her suspicions. Tensions escalate as Miro’s gang threatens him over his interactions with Will. A police detective eventually traces Miro to the burglary, offering him a chance to testify against his gang, but Miro declines.

Meanwhile, Amira confronts Will over a compromising photo of them together, warning him against involving the police, which leaves Will emotionally devastated. The story takes a grave turn when an accident at Will’s construction site severely injures Bea, prompting police involvement in Miro’s case.

At a trial hearing for Miro, Will finds himself torn between his love for Amira and his responsibilities toward Liv and Bea. After much introspection, he decides to tell Liv the truth about his affair, which in turn prompts Liv to encourage him to assist Amira. At the hearing, Will bravely admits his relationship with Amira and confirms that Miro is not the real criminal, leading to Miro’s release.

In the aftermath, Liv and Will solidify their bond through marriage, while Miro and Amira make plans to return to Bosnia for a fresh start. This narrative intricately weaves themes of love, betrayal, and the challenging dynamics of family and redemption.