Jude Law narrates the opening scene of the film, asking us if we have ever been in one of those relationships where we don't even look at the other person anymore.  He plays Will, boyfriend to Liv (Robin Wright Penn) for ten years, and step-father to their troubled daughter.  Their connection is still cordial, but not the happily ever after of their dreams.

Juliette Binoche plays Amira, a loving single mother to Miro.  She is a Bosnian immigrant who works odd jobs to make ends meet.  Miro is an acrobatic young teen who gets mixed up with the wrong crowd and ends up roaming the seedy streets of King's Cross in London.  His athleticism is used to break into local business offices, for which his employers give him a small cut.

One of those businesses belongs to Will (Law).  After a break-in on the first night in their new office, Will takes to spying on his own office at night in order to catch the culprits if they try again.  His long lonely nights are made more entertaining by a local Russian hooker, a humorous role played superbly by Vera Farmiga.

The thieves do indeed try again and Will secretly follows Miro back to his home.  However, Will becomes infatuated with his mother Amira and is then conflicted with how to handle the situation.  Eventually, his desires begin to overcome any other thoughts he may have.

Meanwhile, Liv is desperately trying to cope with her daughter, all the while feeling more and more distant from Will who never seems to be home.

The film is very understated -- sometimes to its own detriment in terms of pacing.  I don't want to give the impression that I was ever bored.  However, there are times when it drags a little.  There isn't a typical crescendo of tension or action.  It rather peters out.

"Breaking and Entering" is consistently realistic and intelligently poignant.  The camera flutters in and out of these people's lives and affairs in interesting and unconventional ways.  I liked the story and cared about each and every character.  Unfortunately, it fails to evoke a ton of emotion... it fails to truly climax to a meaningful point.  Still, it is worth watching for some terrific performances and some intricate adult situations that demand thought and compromise.