RULE BREAKERS

RULE BREAKERS is based on the true story of a team of brave girls from Afghanistan who compete in an international robotics competition from 2017-2021. The team is led by a fearless Afghani engineer, who’s committed her life to advocating for the education of girls in the male-dominated culture of her country, under the threat of deadly opposition from terrorist forces of the Taliban.

RULE BREAKERS packs in the heart and soul of the human spirit to achieve excellence through freedom and education. There are some sad moments, including the murder of a father by a terrorist attack, plus multiple threats and intimidation. At one point, terrorists pull a machine gun on the main characters. RULE BREAKERS also has light foul language and brief suggestive dancing at a night club. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.

As a young girl, Roya Mahboob dreams of learning computer science in her grade school in Afghanistan. Instead, she and the other girls are sent outside while the boys stay to work on the computers. In fact, colleges mainly teach courses on Sharia Law to women, while offering no subjects on mathematics, science or technology.

Roya keeps her dream alive into early adulthood. She strikes a deal with a reluctant coffee shop owner, Abdul. If she’s allowed to use his shop computers to learn, she will teach him how to use them. Abdul agrees because he sees an opportunity to charge customers money to use his computers.

Roya has a gift. She uses her talent to encourage girls in her hometown to learn about computers. Roya wins over a tech savvy businessman from India, named Samir. Together with her supportive brother, Ali, she campaigns to bring four girls from Afghanistan to an international robotics team competition in Washington, DC. Samir offers his knowledge and guidance, as well as financial support to help Roya with her mission.

There is intense opposition from many of the Afghani girls’ families. Roya and Ali are also victims of a terrorist attempt to thwart their efforts. Nevertheless, Roya perseveres, even when most of her team is initially denied a Visa to enter the United States. The first attempt wins the team a “bravery” medal. However, this isn’t enough to satisfy Roya. With no help from her government, or other means, Roya leads her team to return to the competition, to try to win it all.

RULE BREAKERS is incredibly inspirational and deeply moving. It is especially heartbreaking to know that, under the current tyrannical leadership of the Taliban, which came to power after the story takes place, girls are no longer allowed to receive an education past sixth grade. RULE BREAKERS does a wonderful job illustrating the entrepreneurial spirit evoked by the freedom to receive an education, and to compete with the world community to achieve success. The story drags a little, but that problem is mitigated by the powerful storytelling moments, superb acting and the movie’s creative cinematography.

RULE BREAKERS has some violence, mature subject matter and a few light profanities (obscenities?). So, MOVIEGUIDE advises caution for older children.