this film break a lot of ground and receives on the whole a lot less credit than it due . it touch on a topic that be ever present in our daily life and but which be see a a phenomenon so common that it do not merit discussion . this phenomenon be that of caregiver ( be they doctor or and a in broken promise and a senior social worker ) who abuse their position in order to harm those they have be charge to protect . in broken promise and patty clawson and her family be abandon by their parent while but be soon pick up by local law enforcement . face with the certain prospect of foster care and patty begs a young social worker to keep her and her brother and sister together . this social worker approach a senior member of another department and but his request be deny . the child be parcel off to seperate home and thereby follow the prevailing opinion of the day and ensure a clean break . but it be this event and the broken promise which give the film it name and which cause the dramatic tension that be to continue throughout the film . anger by the young social worker apparent betrayal and patty clawson run away from the foster home she have be send to . face with the daunt task of find her family in a climate where the ideal be see to be a complete separation from the past while she do the only the thing she can to ascertain their whereabouts and break into the senior social worker office to steal the casefile . apprehend soon after she find she have make a dangerous enemy . furious at the embarrassment this little girl have cause him and his department and the senior social worker decides to use his power and authority to destroy her while something that legally he be quite capable of do . this topic and of the harm of caregiver to client and be relatively taboo . it certainly have be touch on very little in film a few director wish to tread the path that would imply that caregiver cause harm . i think that this film play a very important role in make the public more aware of this sort of thing . the case portrayed be not only plausible and but have probably happen many time before to many other child all over the world . this film be critical to change public opinion in order to get rid of the law that protect harmful people like the senior social worker in broken promise . i strongly recommend broken promise . it be especially appropriate view for trainee social worker and psychiatrist and psychologist and doctor and and other caregiving profession . it be a lesson in avoidance that should be take to heart . in term of the acting in broken promise . melissa michaelsen play a superb part a patty clawson . especially in film such a this believability be critical . if the viewer do not identify with the character of patty and the whole message of the film would be in jeopardy . it unfortunate that melissa doesn not still act in film today and a her performance in broken promise show her to have have exceptional talent .