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The Break-Up (DVD, 2006)
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In order to appreciate The Break-Up you really have to suspend disbelief at the reasons why a couple like Gary (Vince Vaughn) and Brooke (Jennifer Aniston) would actually come together in the first place. The film is well acted and fast paced and also entertaining, and it does a generally good job of showing what happens when love turns into a weapon of mutual destruction. It's just I didn't quite buy the fact that a somewhat educated and cultured girl like Brooke who works as a art-gallery curator and likes going to the ballet would actually see in a working class schlep like Gary, a voluble if considerably doughy charmer who, with his two brothers (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Cole Hauser), runs a guided tourist service in Chicago. If you can get beyond this strange lapse of logic, The Break-Up is a mostly fun and astute and features the lovely Jennifer and the clever Vince at their snappish best. The story itself is pretty slim: Brook and Gary meet at a Cubs game, fall in love hard, buy a showpiece apartment together and live happily ever after. All this happens in the opening credits. It doesn't take long, however, for the cracks to appear in the relationship and the fights inevitably start coming. He doesn't buy the right number of lemons for a dinner party she's hosting for their respective families, and then doesn't do the dishes until she nags him to help. She doesn't understand his needs, which is basically relaxing after a hard day on his feet and watching the ball game. So consequently, after a bitter argument, Brooke impulsively puts an end to their relationship. The big problem is that they both own the apartment together, and over the next couple of weeks things get worse. Lines are drawn over who can do what and trivial disagreements break out over common space, noise, and eventually escalating into Brooke inviting over dates, Gary inviting over strippers, moving in a pool table, and everything else as the relationship spirals out of control. The couple's realtor (Jason Bateman) and shared friends, including Maddie (Joey Lauren Adams) and Johnny (Jon Favreau), all get caught up and are forced to take sides. But will Brooke and Gary be able to sort out their differences and stay together, or is the relationship doomed to failure? I think the strength of the film comes from the biting repartee that takes place between Aniston and Vaughn, especially in the earlier scenes. You really do believe that they are - and have been - a committed couple that are about to explode with frustration at each other's failings. The actors indeed imbue Gary and Brooke with moments of sincere woundedness and the film's arguments - that relationships are essentially about mutual respect and about give and take - come across as remarkably authentic. As usual in these sorts of Hollywood romantic comedies - and using the term romantic loosely - the supporting cast is filled out with a number of veterans. Judy Davis steals every scene she's in as Brooke's eccentric art gallery boss and Ann Margaret makes a surprise appearance as Brooke's mother. But the movie ultimately belongs to both Aniston and Vaughn - she's tanned and toned and looks fantastic and he does what he does best - playing the permissive man-child who just refuses to take responsibility for anything, either personal or professional. The film stalls a bit in its final third; as though the producers are intent to pad the story out and Brooke's motivations for doing what she does remRead full review
I enjoyed the uniqueness of the storyline and caliber of acting in this movie, but also found it a bit emotionally draining... Let me explain... I think what differentiates an great movie from a lousy one is the ability of the audience to relate to the characters and what they are going through. In this respect I believe this movie has the makings of greatness- the situation Gary (Vince Vaughn) and Brooke (Jennifer Aniston) find themselves in has been experienced by MOST, if not ALL OF US at one point, or another. In a nutshell, they do not feel that what they are bringing to the relationship is being appreciated by the other person. Then, in a particularly heated argument Brooke takes things a little farther than she means to. In the heat of the moment she breaks up with Gary. From this point on Brooke tries scheme after scheme to get Gary to apologize to her and save thier relationship... while Gary just pretends that he could care less... Although in the movie trailers they make it sound like Gary and Brooke are just fighting over who gets the condo- that is NOT the jist of the movie (they decide to sell the condo and split the money quite soon after the relationship "ends"). WARNING to anyone who wants to be surprised by the ending... DO NOT READ ON... So anyway, after all the ups and downs and the "game playing" Brooke FINALLY gets what she has wanted from Gary all along- he basically apologizes and tells her he wants to save the relationship. BUT HERE IS THE KICKER- she says it is too late??!!??!! For me this was the draining/frustrating/whatever you want to call it part. I TOTALLY felt let down here... [Sorry again, to anyone who thinks I've given away the ending, but the movie IS called THE BREAK UP...]. But, even as frustrating as this sequence was, the writers didn't just stop there. Instead they provide a lapse of time and then "reintroduce" Gary and Brooke to each other on a crowded street. That just left things totally open ended. I personally can't stand unresolved endings after I've invested time and emotion into a movie... so for me, another let down...Read full review
I like Jennifer Aniston, but that isn't why I give it 4 stars. :) I really thought this movie was pretty good. It's not as good as Derailed, but I still stayed very interested throughout. From the beginning, I was convinced that they were a couple totally in love, and I really came to care for these characters. What happens is, she breaks up with him, he reacts harshly, and although they really still are in love, they continue this ongoing fight out of pride...(neither person wants to be the one to swallow thier pride.) May I add that through all of this, they continue to live together in the condo they purchased together...neither can afford to live on thier own, so they continue living together...and fighting together. *SPOILER* Vince Vaughn appears to be the uncaring one, and when his buddy points this out to him, he honestly tries to make a change, then Jennifer Aniston....turns him away !!! THIS upset me, I really thought they were going to get back together, and was very dissapointed that they didn't. At the ending however, we ARE left thinking that maybe they will reunite afterall. I really did like the acting, and as I said, I like Jennifer Aniston, so maybe I was a little less critical toward the movie. I really honestly thought it was entertaining.Read full review
... So glad we didn't catch this at the theaters! Why?? The movie was too mean, too hard, and the ending was flat. HOWEVER, the DVD has the ALTERNATE ENDING, and ALL the DELETED SCENES had the funny stuff you would think would be in a comedy !!! Definitely worth renting this movie just for the BONUS FEATURES! The Tone Rangers were used in the alternate ending, and there is a bonus feature on them. Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston were good in the film, but the film itself just was not what we were expecting it to be. Again, even if you have seen this movie in the theater, check out the DVD for the ALTERNATE ENDING and the BONUS FEATURES!! Well worth the rental to have better satisifaction on the movie!
I am a huge fan of Vince Vaughn - particularly when he lends his talents to comedy!!! So this movie was a fun, and entertaining watch for me in one respect, but in another, oddly uncomfortable!! The Premise of this plot centers around a couple - Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Anniston whose relationship is fizzling out!! Only they share a nifty Condo which neither party is prepared to lose -so rather than move out; the live together while the relationship goes downhill and the fighting gets more bitter by the day!! But at the same time, there is that slight spark - though it is up to the couple to figure out whether that is for their relationship or their beloved Condo!!! This is so silly....fully of petty arguing that I am sure we are all guilty of every now and then...and I am sure that we would see it as funny too could we replay it, though we would never admit it...so watching arguments over the silliest of things, will spark a fire of recognition and guilty pleasure in us all!! However, there are some more emotional scenes embedded within this farce!! And at times it gets a bit much, to the pint of being uncomfortable - if you have ever been out in public and seen a couple involved in an arguement, you feel like you should walk faster to get out of their way - like this is a personal thing then you don't want to see - and this movie can feel like that, to the point where you might get fed up and drained...the comedy is the saving grace in that respect! At just over 100 minutes, it is a short, bittersweet but funny comedy with an all star cast which also includes Jon Favreau - Vaughn partner from Swingers, Jason Bateman and Joey Lauren Adams!!! It was entertaining but a once only deal!Read full review
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