Directed and written by Christopher Winterbauer, Break Down is a low-key, darkly comic, but also poignant take on a couple who has reached the end of their path together. The short film genius is how it merges so many disparate tones. It’s weird, melancholic, touching; a film that sort of defies traditional explanation. And, that’s what makes it so special. It feels honest despite being heightened. Thankfully, it’s not yet another indie quirk-fest where the characters feel like idiosyncratic screenwriter creations rather than real people. The dialogue is especially clever. Winterbauer has a knack for language and word order that makes the simplest of sentiments seem profound. As the title suggests, the central couple isn’t breaking up, they’re breaking down.
