Broken-Hearted Girl - Music Video

Music Video

The music video for "Broken-Hearted Girl" was directed by Sophie Muller. It was released on the remix and video album Above and Beyoncé – Video Collection & Dance Mixes on June 16, 2009, and through iTunes Stores on November 20, 2009. Most of it had been filmed in black-and-white on a beach in Malibu, California, in late February 2009. The protagonist (Knowles) reminisces on an isolated beach about a relationship that went wrong.

The video begins as the protagonist parks her car and cries following an argument she has had with her lover. She then leaves the car, walks towards the sea, and lets down her hair. Flashbacks of the woman and her lover on the beach are shown. With teary eyes, she heads into the sea as waves break the shore. Back in the car, she imagines her lover holding her hands. The video transitions into color, as Knowles' character appears on the beach in a green dress and holds a rose without its petals, which she later restores. The video then flashes back to black-and-white memories of the woman resting her head on her boyfriend's shoulder. She eventually realizes that she must set her relationship back on the right track. In the end, she drives off with a smile.

A critic for The Daily Telegraph found the video "sultry". Alison Maloney of The Sun commented that Knowles "is tapped in to her well-honed acting skills", and "looks amazing in as she sings the ballad with the waves crashing behind her". He noted that she suffers from "panda eyes after a good cry". Peter Gigas of E! News wrote that Knowles " exceptionally stunning" even while crying over a poor relationship. He noted that the clip is "simple and straightforward", and connects effectively with viewers who like the ballad. A writer of Daily Mail noted that the scenes of Knowles and her love interest on the beach in the video were inspired from the film From Here to Eternity (1953). The writer further praised Knowles' "enviable" figure and the outfit worn by her.