Broken Vow
| Broken Vow | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Kenji Hansuke |
| Written by | Saori Suzushiro |
| Produced by | Reiko Kusakabe |
| Starring | Richard Philip Todd Seon Myung-dae Ryuk Chang-min Akino Terai |
| Edited by | Thiếu Văn Dạt |
| Music by | George O'Shaunessy Broken Vow by Saori Suzushiro |
Production companies | Osaka Film Studio, Nihhon-koku |
| Distributed by | Endelmann Pictures |
Release date | February 14 2017 |
Running time | 170 minutes
|
| Countries | Nihhon-koku |
| Languages | English Nihhonese |
| Budget | 150 million Gil |
| Box office | 650 million Gil |
Broken Vow is a 2017 2-part Nihhonese melodrama film. It was directed by Kenji Hansuke, produced by Reiko Kusakabe and written by Saori Suzushiro. It stars Richard Philip Todd, Seon Myung-dae, Ryuk Chang-min and Akino Terai.
Broken Vowis a dramatic telling of a man who has had many failures when it comes to loving a person until he meets another girl and fall in love once more as he goes through losses and gruelling experiences. It grossed 650 million Gil, the highest grossing film of 2017 as well as receiving critical acclaim with 9.5 stars out of 10 and a rating of 93% on Spinning Onions.
Plot
Part 1
Part 1 starts off with Alexander (Todd) arrives on Tokyu with an almost depressed face after he had been dumped by a girl before he transferred to Tokyu. He was alone and only had his uncle to accompany him to stay on his house. He believed that no one will ever love him. The following day, He was on his way to school and arrives late, to which there was no professor that entered the class. He was quiet the whole day and his classmates were curious about him, being their only Zanarkian classmate. Sol-mi (Seung-ah) introduced herself and made him feel welcomed in the class. Alexander felt comfortable with his surroundings for the next few days. Months passed and Alexander felt quite confident to speak up. It was then that he meets Megumi Park (Myung-dae) when he was reading manga near the university's cafe. She became curious and Alexander felt that he had made another female friend in her life. Having a common interest for anime, Alexander and Megumi grew closer and it was then that Alexander felt that he was falling in love all over again but said that he said to his own conscience couldn't so he resisted. He became bent on winning Megumi's trust and has shown many confidence and cheering her up, which has enabled her to pass her tests and even get good grades, whom Alexander was proud of. He never forgets to pray to help Megumi gain more confidence in her and for his old colleagues back in Zanarkand. Times passed and the two continued to grow closer and closer and even being teased as the class' number one couple. Near the end of the school year, The two made a promise to see again after the vacation.
Even while apart, Megumi and Alexander enjoyed chatting with each other. After the vacation, Alexander and Megumi met once again but She had a rough feeling for Alexander, making him think that she hates him. Alexander then tries to patch things up, which Megumi receives poorly. She soon starts turning Alexander's life around by not even entertaining him anymore and quietly, Alexander dissolves their relationship; breaking his heart for a 2nd time. He is apprehended by Megumi's friend, Erika Misato (Engle) who reproves Alexander of what he has done. He tells him that Megumi could no longer stand him and that he was getting in her life forcibly. Alexander replies that he never even noticed it and had told her that he has permanently dissolved their friendship, surprising Erika and Geraldine (Appleton). A few days later, Alexander talks it down with Megumi, who says to him that She'll no longer treat him as a close friend but only as a stranger. Alexander couldn't think of any thing to say and would talk it down on another day but on the supposed day, He did not show up to speak with Megumi. Weeks later, Alexander meets up with Jung-hwa (Chang-min) and he replied that Megumi is a secluded character with a choosy personality for friendships. He, however, tells him that he shouldn't be looking it the hard way but Alexander refuses, saying that it would be better to forget her for good and even forget everything they've done. Jung-hwa lets his friend be. So whenever he gets asked about Megumi, Alexander replies that 'He doesn't know her' and to the point that he doesn't know anything, even going as far to say that he is suffering from 'amnesia'.
Depression grows within his mind and became on the verge of even suiciding. He could no longer see the light that he needed to live up but eventually, he refuses to do it and couldn't even see the reason. Alexander seeks help from Jung-hwa, who has already acted the role of Alexander in Megumi's life. Taking Jung-hwa's words, He manages to recover and get himself back in shape without even having to worry about Megumi anymore. Soon, Alexander receives very high grades in his mathematics, statistics, history and science classes while Megumi went downhill. He managed to even reunite with his high school friends and even getting his gamer status into a stable state.
Days pass and Megumi enriches her relations with Jung-hwa and Sol-mi while Alexander, even if he was a loner was more happy being with his colleagues and his online friends in-game. Days later, Geraldine (Bernice) approaches Alexander and wonders to him why He and Megumi no longer speak with each other. Alexander said that it was all for what's best for life and that he had forgotten every inch of his memories with her. She, however tells him to give a chance of talking to Megumi again but Alexander ignores.
Alexander then is able to her his contact back up with his friend, Shizuku Okabe (Terai); whom he had befriended in middle school, reuniting with her in the process and eventually, they get close whilst almost doing the mistake he had done with Megumi but was able to control it, thanks to Ly Phuong. He and Shizuku soon meet up to celebrate Alexander's birthday after 3 years of not seeing each other in person. Alexander makes a wish that a good future would be waiting for him and even be successful with his relationship with his opposite sex. Part 1 ends with Alexander screaming "I'm finally new!"
Part 2
Part 2 starts off with Alexander on 4th year of his college life and is about to graduate. Upon hearing that Shizuku had just graduated, He congratulates her for a job well done and Shizuku thanks her for cheering her up for most of her life. By another school day, The class is then told to do a project, which was to stand up a business with either 2 people or solo. Alexander, knowing that he has the ability to do things in a flash decides to do it solo. Jung-hwa and Sol-mi work together with the rest of the class either solo or entering a partnership. Megumi on the other hand has almost no idea of what she has to do. Then she seeks the partnership of Van Chinh, who tells her that he has partnered up with Ly Phuong. Then Alexander was the last on her mind and decided to have Jung-hwa vouch for her to speak to Alexander.
Alexander, however rejects the offer of partnering up with Megumi, not even having a fragment of his old memories with her. Alexander had already decided to go sole proprietorship and that she can seek another person's help other than him. Megumi still had memories of what she had done to Alexander. Trying not to make herself regret, she decides to give a solo work done but she couldn't do it alone and needed Alexander, who had helped her 3 years prior and was perhaps the reason why she had passed her first semester before.
Megumi's friends then try to hook Alexander up with her but he immediately berates them, telling him that he refused to work with someone. Then Geraldine speaks up to Alexander and tells him to try to speak with Megumi. Seeing her kind heart, Alexander decided to speak with Megumi. They met up at the place where they first met. Megumi pleaded that he helps her with finishing the project by partnering up with her. Alexander told her that she can partner up with someone else other than him because he was already sick of seeing her doing her 'childish' acts and her weird manners and that there were a lot of people that she can partner up. She tells him that his ability to carry would be the only reason that she can graduate because He had the skills. Remembering Sol-mi's words, He eventually agreed on one condition that he will immediately dissolve the partnership as soon as they graduate. Megumi agreed with a hint of distraught.
Days later, Alexander and Megumi's business plan was soon put into action and the duo received marks enough for them to pass. Feeling Alexander's concerned attitude for others, she eventually falls for him and could not bring herself to admit her feelings. Days after the graduation, Alexander closes the business, leaving Megumi distraught. Alexander then reunited with Shizuku and the two intensify their relationship until the two fell for each other. Alexander finally felt love for the first time in his life, loving Shizuku and her family as well.
Years later, Megumi sees Alexander disembarking off his car and opening the door for Shizuku. Megumi then becomes surprised that Alexander had found someone who can love him for who he was and even more, Alexander had found someone better than Megumi. Attempting to win his heart and giving him a second chance, Megumi re-enters the picture and persuades Alexander to go back to her, Even going as far as telling him that He can be with her for as long as he wanted. Alexander then remembers the words of Campbell, who told him that he'll soon be gaining her favour, giving him correct at the accusation of his friend. However, He refused, stating that he is already in love with Shizuku.
Not wanting to give up, Megumi, with the help of her friends attempts to get on the good side of Alexander by arranging something for him. When Alexander saw her effort by admitting that she loved him, He was speechless and was embraced by Megumi. Alexander could not move on the spot. He is then torn to choose between Megumi and Shizuku.
Later, Megumi and Alexander went to the University grounds to reminisce old memories. Megumi gave Alexander a necklace to signify a new start between the two. Megumi then admits that he has loved him ever since they first met. However, Alexander delivered a cold reply, saying that He still chooses and loves Shizuku because she loved him more than what Megumi does. She then finds out that Alexander loved Shizuku's family and would always go there a day after christmas to spend time with her and her family. He tells him that She had failed to accept him for who he was, leaving him to be much more independent in himself. Megumi replies that she did change for him, even if her friends were going to allow her as far as to change her personality but none of it mattered to him. Megumi asked what was wrong with her. He replied that her love was not genuine. Alexander then leaves her on the University grounds with an empty feeling and alone.
At the end of Part 2, Alexander is shown with Shizuku at their house with 3 children playing with their parents as Megumi looks on from a distance; depressed and regretting that She let him go out of her life permanently.
Cast
- Richard Philip Todd as Alexander Paddock; A Zanarkian transfer student to the University of St. Andrew in Tokyo, Nihhon-koku. He is the films main protagonist and has troubles going into relationships because of his past experiences that often leads into him being dumped for another man but unknown to the women that he had been with, There is a lot of special things about Alexander. In the end, He chooses Shizuku over Megumi.
- Seon Myung-dae as Megumi Park; A Joyonghean-Nihhonese student at the University and is the film's Deuteragonist. She is a secluded childish female student in the University of St. Andrew but got along with friends such as Alexander and Junghwa. However, She soon gets fed up of Alexander and leaves him and starts hanging out with Junghwa and his colleagues. However, She gets a taste of her own medicine on the second part of the movie.
- Ryuk Chang-min as Lee Jung-hwa; A Joyonghean student at the University of St. Andrew. He is Alexander's close friend and sometimes advisor. He was the one who shook Alexander's mind to 'wake up' and keep moving forward after Megumi had brushed Alexander aside. He is supportive of many people and like Alexander, was a secluded person during middle school.
- Akino Terai as Shizuku Okabe; The film's Tritagonist. A Nihhonese student who Alexander used to go with in middle school. She studies at St. Miyamoto University after failing the test for University of St. Andrew. She is like Megumi but is much more open and understands people's feelings despite her childish behavior. She is the girl that Alexander ends up with at the end of Part 2.
- Waldemar Fegelein as Campbell O'Hara; Alexander's friend and advisor. He is responsible for fixing up Alexander's behavior towards people, enabling him to be more mature.
- Janggok Seung-ah as Kang Sol-mi; A classmate of Alexander. She is at good terms with Alexander at first but at the middle of Part 1, She turns her back on Alexander but near the end of Part 1, She takes a change of heart and accepts Alexander back and is trying to do her best to get Alexander and Megumi to be together but Alexander refuses her advances.
- Christiana Engle as Erika Misato; A friend of Megumi, A carefree and humble woman, She is very close to Megumi and befriends Alexander. In Part 2, She tries to patch things up between Alexander and Megumi but Alexander refuses and forgets everything that she had said.
- Silfy Appleton as Geraldine Hasegawa; A Lucian-Nihhonese student and friend of Megumi. Unlike Erika, Geraldine is childish and is also interested in relationships. However, She berates Alexander in the latter part of Part 1. In Part 2, She tells Alexander to give a chance of talking to Megumi, which he immediately rejects.
- Klankain Auchinleck IV as Stephan McCormick; A transfer student from Zanarkand, He is Alexander's friend online whenever they play before the start of Part 2, when he transfers to study in Nihhon-koku. He is also supportive of Alexander's exploits. He has a passion for playing the piano.
- William George Hoang as Nguyen Van Chinh; A Quenminese student at the University where Alexander studies. He is Alexander's friend in the 2nd year and is known for being excellent in Quenminese Literature, having been graded with A+. In part 2, He is Alexander's bridge to recovering and helping him with Shizuku.
- Bernice Cu as Pham Ly Phuong; A Quenminese student at the University of St. Andrew and Van Chinh's classmate. She is an outgoing person and is very helpful with people around. She is the reason for Alexander's control with his opposite sex in Part 2. She dates Van Chinh at the end of the film.