Tom Sizemore Breaks Down in 'A Broken Life'

16 Aug, 2008 By: Billy Gil

A Broken Life

Even in Hollywood, few have the combination of a troubled backstory and talent that makes Tom Sizemore such a compelling actor. His rough-and-tumble looks and personality have stolen countless scenes in films such as Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan and Strange Days.

Now fans of Sizemore can see him in one of his fiercest and most vulnerable performances yet, in A Broken Life, coming to DVD Sept. 23 (prebook Aug. 21) at $26.97, from Anchor Bay Entertainment. The film stars Sizemore as Max, a man plagued by mediocrity who decides to take his own life ù and have his fateful last day filmed. Sizemore and producer/co-star Grace Kosaka sat down with Home Media Magazine to talk about his latest film.

HM: From where did you draw inspiration for Max?

Sizemore: From my life. IÆm not a method actor or any type of actor. I think of myself as more of an entertainer. There are certain parts that speak to you, like Sgt. Mike Horvath in Saving Private Ryan, even though IÆve never been in a war. à It was about auspicious beginnings, the promise of youth. I just saw a guy in a certain kind of hue of disappointment, of unfulfilled desires and ambitions.

HM: Are there any special features on A Broken Life that youÆre involved with?

Kosaka: ThereÆs a 12-minute scene thatÆs cut in with TomÆs interview and [co-stars] Ving Rhames, Cynthia Dale, Corey Sevier and myself.

Sizemore: That 12-minute scene, you donÆt get to do that very often.

HM: Do you think thereÆs more opportunity in the direct-to-video market to do more-daring films such as this?

Sizemore: I think the future is kind of murky ù how people are going to see movies, where theyÆre going to see them.

Bob Evans is a friend of mine. He told me something once IÆll never forget: You ever spend a morning in Hollywood, you know as much as anyone else: Nothing.

I donÆt know what the percentage is, but a large percentage of pilots fail and a lot of movies fail. What does the audience want to see? I donÆt think anyone knows. So why couldnÆt we develop an audience that relates to these movies? I think that audience is out there.

Kosaka: I think the film is going to do very well because of TomÆs intensity.

Sizemore: Because of my infamy!

Kosaka: (laughs) He really brought a depth and layering that we really needed for Max. The result is just brilliant.

Sizemore: Not to toot my own horn, but I had a scene in that movie [in which] I actually had a breakdown. When I say, æYou want to be happy, kid? Focus on the beauty in life,Æ I couldnÆt work anymore that afternoon. I was fighting breaking down and crying. It is hard to focus on whatÆs beautiful about life sometimes.

Kosaka: In the commentary, I mention thatÆs one of my favorite moments in the movie.

HM: Tom, you have an extensive filmography. Do you ever watch any of your old films?

Sizemore: Natural Born Killers. I really like the performance in Bringing Out the Dead, the Scorsese movie that nobody saw. This is crazy, a Martin Scorsese movie with Nicolas Cage à it was in the movie theaters for one weekend and they pulled it! ItÆs a wonderful movie.

HM: It looks like you are busy this year with a lot of films slated to be released this year and next. Can you talk about any of those, and if there are any DVD plans for those films?

Sizemore: Splinter is on DVD, the film I made right prior to A Broken Life, with Edward James Olmos, directed by his son Mike Olmos. ThereÆs also a wonderful movie called The Last Lullaby. I star in it with Sasha Alexander. ItÆs a movie about a hitman who comes out of retirement to kill Miss Alexander, and quite out of his nature he gets to know her. IÆll leave it at that.