Parker Posey is game in 'Broken English,' although the limited conception of her giggly insecure Nora Wilder is too thin for ninety-six minutes.

Posey gives a committed performance, and Justin Theroux is good as an overindulged movie star. But almost nothing that's said or done here is convincing. And the energy is set at near-coma level.

Filmmaking is a family affair for the Cassavetes, and Zoe inherits the unpretentious, performance-driven style from her father, John, while delivering a love story that's accessible enough for mainstream audiences, a trick learned from her brother Nick.

Zoe Cassavetes' new film Broken English is a delight, and as a debut film shows that we can expect good things from her.

Cassavetes supplies no easy answers or easy laughs, forgoing romantic-comedy beats in respect for Nora's desperation. Call this confection a romantic-dramedy with humor on wry.

It's pretty clear where this is going from the first frame, though Posey's performance does keep you interested.

[Cassavetes] treats cliches as fodder for comedy and nuances as the mainstays of a deeper, more beguiling sexual humor. What's engaging about this movie is that all the conventional trysts become low-key nightmare farce.

Parker Posey is one of those rare performers who can elevate a mediocre film into a good one and a good one into a great one simply by the sheer force of her personality.

A promising first film with moments exceeding that promise.