Breaking Up

I have to confess this blog I am about to write is making me very vulnerable. I feel a bit insecure about writing it because I feel there are far more competent people who should be writing this instead of me (namely one in particular). However, nothing is gained in life without risk, so here it goes. This is my first formal movie critic review. Today I went and saw "The Break Up" with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. (And randomly Anne Margret!)

Profanity: moderate to heavy (Vince likes to use GD alot. That buggegd me. And Jenn did use the F word once. She was pretty upset, but still doesn't justify it)

Sexual content: moderate to heavy. No sex scenes, but alot in conversations, some risque dancing, and one distant nude scene.

Violence: none, although there is alot of verbal battering and fighting b/c afterall it's about a break-up. I personally don't like conflict, so that bothered me after awhile.

Plot: Brooke and Gary have a huge fight b/c she feels he does not appreciate her and he never wants to do things to please and help her. He totally doesn't get it. They 'break up', but neither one will move out of the condo b/c they are both entitled to it. Brooke initiates a game of getting him back b/c she really doesn't want to break up with him, she just wants him to realize how great she is and genuinely want to fight for their relationship. But Gary is up for the challenge. As the movie progresses, they push each other farther away. Towards the end, they have a conversation (in which Brooke is crying--good stab at his heart) and Gary finally gets it. He realizes that he has been a selfish jerk (not just with her but with other people in his life). He redeems himself by cleaning up his act, putting others' interests first, and sort of proposing to Brooke. Yet Brooke refuses him, claiming she has nothing left to give. This is where the audience gives a long frustrated sigh. The one redeeming quality of the movie: the ending. It is not a typical ending, but somehow leaves everyone satisfied. The hopeless romantic who wants them to live happily ever after is given some hope; the hard-nosed realist who wants them to get on with their lives and who doesn't want to sit through another typically sappy ending is satisfied.

Critique: Jenn Aniston was hot, but she was a bit shallow. She fought, argued, and cried well, but beyond that her personality was so-so.
Vince Vaughn had some funny lines and moments, but after awhile he got a bit annoying almost to the point where he could be labeled J-E-R-K.
There were some very interesting and colorful supporting characters, but they sometimes got a bit over the top and generally were no one that you would care to have as friends.

So if you don't mind sharing in the conflict and heat of a break-up, if you stay amused by the ping-pong pace of girl gets a point, boy ties the score, girl gets ahead, boy ties again, girl---(you get the idea), and you find ill-given advice from sketchy friends adequate, then by all means see "The Break Up".

I give it a two star rating.

PS The funniest line of the movie is an expression that one of the friends uses "Cheese and rice!" That's about the only thing I'll take away from the movie.