Let’s get one thing straight right away: John Boyega was done dirty by Star Wars. Both narratively with his character and on an individual level as a person, the franchise failed him. It is therefore understandable why the actor recently said that he is going to steer clear of the series and turn his focus to more independent films. While the background behind this decision continues to be unfortunate, he remains a talented performer who was always better than the role that was considered to be his breakout. In addition to being in the acclaimed film, Attack the Block, prior to his trip to space, he has continued to show that his presence as an actor ought not to be confined to the prevailing limitations of franchises. While good work can be done within them, they can chew up promising actors just beginning to find their footing. Boyega is one who has emerged as a bright spot in the malaise of the franchise machine.

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His newest performance in Breaking, originally titled 892 when it premiered at Sundance, is yet more proof of that. The film is based on the tragic true life of the late Brian Easley as recounted in the article ‘They didn’t have to kill him’: The death of Lance Corporal Brian Easley,’ itself worth reading in its entirety. It follows Boyega as Easley who, driven by desperation after being denied his disability payment, takes several hostages in a bank. The film is imperfect, often failing to capture the full scope of who the man was as it instead focuses on the specifics of his last day. What is undeniable is just how compelling Boyega is in the role. He never reduces the character to being just one thing as he takes us through a full range of emotions. He embodies the outrage and fear that begins to weigh on him even as he shows his guilt for how he is hurting others. Some of the most affecting moments capture quiet humor even as he faces oblivion at the hands of the police right outside. There is so much that could have shifted the film into being a cheap caricature, yet Boyega ensures everything feels more balanced in his multifaceted and nuanced portrayal. It is a heavy weight that he bears on his shoulders almost entirely alone, serving as a mirror to the forces that are closing in on Brian.

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Image Via Bleecker Street

This becomes a testament to his presence that he is able to carry the film through its many rough patches and narrative contrivances. It is just the latest work that offers a glimpse of how engaging he can be even within the most confined of spaces and fraught of stories. In 2017, Boyega was in the brutal Kathryn Bigelow film, Detroit, which he also was able to elevate with his presence. Another true story that was similarly flawed in its storytelling and approach, he brought an irreplaceable intensity to the film. With just a simple expression or stare, he was able to speak volumes about the dire predicament his character finds himself in. He is the sole voice of reason that tries and fails to prevent horrific acts from taking place. Then, in 2020, he starred in Steve McQueen’s riveting Red, White and Blue. Boyega again gave life to a real figure who is trying to bring justice to an unjust system. It was a film that not only put him in a leading role that he could fully shine in, but it did justice to his dynamic portrayal as well.

This is something that Breaking isn’t quite as adept at fully navigating. While Boyega remains as multilayered and mesmerizing as ever, the way the story shifts into being more conventional in its construction frequently dulls his vibrant work. In particular, the way the final moments fall into place is misjudged to the point of being rather disappointing. It places us so outside the perspective of Easley that he almost gets lost in his own story when the more appropriately audacious choice would have been to more fully portray the world through his eyes. Still, this remains mountains more engrossing in its storytelling than anything that Boyega was given in Star Wars.

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Image Via Bleecker Street

Breaking is a role that Boyega really gets to grapple with and he more than rises to the occasion. It is a shame that the film does not similarly rise with him, though it just serves as a further reason for him to get more opportunities to grow as an actor. The last conversation he shares with his character’s daughter towards the end is nothing short of devastating because of his dedication to the simple scene. It plays out with us locked into just Brian as he is alone on the phone, imparting some final advice to the person that matters to him more than anything. At this moment, Boyega creates a glimpse of grace in the chaos.

These simple moments where we get to sit with Brian are undercut when the film cuts away to the noise outside, but they still remain deeply impactful because of his presence. Such a scene conveys more emotion than the overly dramatic moments that follow, yet there is still no shaking just how completely Boyega draws us into the character. It all proves once again that Boyega can blow us away when given the room to do so. He is a dynamic screen presence who deserves to get leading roles for him to fully inhabit and embody rather than be relegated to the side in an ensemble. His choice to continue taking on more of these films is the best thing he could do both for his own career and for the strength of the stories themselves. He remains an asset to any work that is lucky enough to have him on board and more filmmakers would do well to take notice of him when seeking out their leads. As he continues to challenge himself with complex roles that capture our attention at every moment, he is writing an exciting new chapter in his story that will be worth following no matter what he takes on next.