The Breaks (1999 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = The Breaks

| caption =

| image = The Breaks FilmPoster.jpeg

| director = Eric Meza

| producer = Bob Shapiro
Terry Spazek

| writer = Mitch Mullany
Jeff Stolzer

| starring = Mitch Mullany
Carl Anthony Payne II
Paula Jai Parker
Clifton Powell
Darius McCrary
Paul Benjamin
Lamont Bentley
Loretta Devine

| music =

| cinematography = Carlos González

| editing =

| studio =

| distributor = Artisan Entertainment

| released = {{Film date|1999|02|26}}

| runtime = 86 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

The Breaks is a 1999 American comedy film written by and starring Mitch Mullany and directed by Eric Meza.

Plot

A Sunday in the life of Derrick King, an Irish kid raised in Compton, California by a black family. He speaks and dresses in a way that might be called "black" and thinks of himself as a black person. It is a day of disasters: his mom kicks him out of the house, his uncle fires him, the woman he loves dismisses him as childish, the LAPD, wearing Confederate flag shoulder patches, impound his car and toss him in the drunk tank, a mean dude is after him for money, he is imprisoned in a store basement by gay sadists, and he is shot at.

Along the way, however, he shows kindness to a near-sighted kid, and those random acts may prove to be his salvation. Rappers Xzibit, E-40 and Flesh-n-Bone appear in the film.

The movie features numerous parodies, including one of Pulp Fiction, as well as Good Will Hunting, and an appearance by George Clinton as himself. Professional basketball player Gary Payton has a speaking role in the movie.

Cast

Mitch Mullany as Derrick King
Lamont Bentley as Darryl
Carl Anthony Payne II as Chris
Loretta Devine as Floria
Paul Benjamin as Clerk
George Clinton as Himself
Xzibit as Jamal
E-40 as Judge
Anthony Anderson as Inmate #1
John Farley as Police Officer

Release

=Home release=

The film was released on DVD by Artisan Home Entertainment in 2000.{{cite news |last1=Stephens |first1=Bob |title=Sci-fi features, old classics out on DVD |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/sci-fi-features-old-classics-out-on-dvd-3059909.php |access-date=February 5, 2024 |work=SFGate |date=May 27, 2000}}