Broken Hill (2009)

50% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
70% of users liked it
(201 ratings)

In this drama, an Australian teen tries to move beyond his rural roots in the Outback to become a musician. However, he gets distracted from his dream by the appearance of a rebellious new student at his school, whose beauty is matched only by her daring. He tries to match her bravado, but his… More In this drama, an Australian teen tries to move beyond his rural roots in the Outback to become a musician. However, he gets distracted from his dream by the appearance of a rebellious new student at his school, whose beauty is matched only by her daring. He tries to match her bravado, but his attempt gets him arrested, putting his goals in danger. ~ Kimber Myers, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: Dagen Merrill
Written By: Dagen Merrill
Genres: Drama, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Sep 11, 2009 Wide
On DVD: May 17, 2011
Studio: Audience Alliance

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
It's a picture with the ambitions of a Billy Elliot but the execution of an August Rush.
Cary Darling, Dallas Morning News
Broken Hill, with its picture-postcard shots of the vast Outback, looks good and fills a niche for families.
S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media
Formulaic coming-of-age story with mild romance.
Justin Strout, Orlando Weekly
Pleasant in a flavored-rice-cakes kind of way.
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
The predictability is draining, hurting the lasting impact of this strange tale of unlikely musicianship. However, there's a curious spirit to the feature that makes it something to enjoy.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
For all its flaws and despite the limiting premise, this music-themed drama works better than it should.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
A hopelessly cliche-ridden tale that wouldn't be out of place on a family-oriented cable channel but is several sizes too small for the big screen.

Read all 7 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!..I sure love a good movie that has a FANTASTIC ending. This is one of those movies. Absolutely satisfying, fun, and enjoyable concert ending. The movie itself was very well done, also. Good characters. Good cast. Good music. Timothy Hutton with an Australian… More
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!..I sure love a good movie that has a FANTASTIC ending. This is one of those movies. Absolutely satisfying, fun, and enjoyable concert ending. The movie itself was very well done, also. Good characters. Good cast. Good music. Timothy Hutton with an Australian accent? yep. Done pretty well, albeit a little hard to get use to. All in all, though, a rather good little Australian flick.
Anthony V

Some family films are a struggle to sit through, this is not one of them. Great characters, intriguing conflicts and great use of Aussie scenery add up to a film that's fun to watch for both adults and kids. Timothy Hutton and Alexa Vega are solid as always, Luke Hill is a… More
Some family films are a struggle to sit through, this is not one of them. Great characters, intriguing conflicts and great use of Aussie scenery add up to a film that's fun to watch for both adults and kids. Timothy Hutton and Alexa Vega are solid as always, Luke Hill is a charming lead, but Rhys Wakefield as Scott and Andy McPhee as Bear are standouts. The music ain't so bad either.