The Break-Up

THE BREAK-UP (2006)

BACK COVER SYNOPSIS: Vince Vaughan and Jennifer Aniston star in The Break-Up, which starts where romantic comedies end - right at the point where they are driving each other crazy! Pushed to the breaking-up point after their latest 'why can't you do this one little thing for me?' argument, Brooke (Aniston) calls it quits with her boyfriend Gary (Vaughn). What follows is a hilarious series of remedies, war tactics, overtures and undermining tricks - all encouraged by the former couple's friends and confidantes... and the occasional total stranger! When neither ex is willing to move out of their shared apartment, the only solution is to continue living as hostile roommates until one of them reaches breaking point.

FILM REVIEW: Here's a notion to turn a romantic comedy on its head; what happens once the couple get together and they're relationship goes south? This is the entertaining premise behind "The Break-Up", featuring some good performances by Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston as the duelling couple who eventually call it quits. Strangely, it works on a more (mostly) realistic level; I wouldn't call it an outright comedy because there's a dark undertone running through the proceedings, and the gags and tactics the two play on each other aren't always really that funny (although some are). However, it does offer a refreshing change to those sugary-sweet romantic comedies that we get inundated with on a yearly basis.
Any one who has had a bad break up will find a lot of sympathy in this movie, although at times it does take it over the top. You'd think after 45 minutes or so in to the film that they would have just pulled the plug; to the filmmakers credit, they decide to use the couple's shared mortgage on their apartment to keep them together as neither one wants to give it up but it does stretch thin after half way through the film.
The two leads are an unlikely combination and the film goes to lengths to stress this; Vaughn is more the Playstation 2, baseball game man's man while Aniston is the intellectual art dealer. You wouldn't think they'd get together or have anything in common but we do get a brief glimpse at the beginning of the film when they first meet, and a very unlikely pick-up by Vaughn. Both actors perform well in their respectively stubborn roles and show different sides to their characters as the battle goes on until in the end, they realise how ridiculous their behaviour has been towards each other.
Ultimately if you're looking for an all-out "war of the worlds" comedy between a breaking-up couple, you're not going to get it with this film. It does have funny moments but it seems to be doing it with a lot of heart and even a sense of realism of what may happen during a real break-up. In some senses this works very well, especially towards the end when they both finally resign to the fact that neither will give in and they have to move on their separate ways; however, there is a half cop-out of an ending where it's suggested that they might get back together again when they bump in to each other in the street some time later.
A solid film, with good acting and fun moments but ultimately can only be loosely called a comedy. More like a light-hearted drama.

TECHNICAL REVIEW: The transfer of this disc is extremely good for an un-romantic comedy. The audio track is also well produced. Overall, a quality disc technically.

EXTRAS REVIEW: This DVD offers a rather hum-drum, but mostly informative commentary by the stars Vince Vaughn (who also co-authored the story of the film) and Jennifer Aniston. Beyond that, there's a few deleted scenes, outtakes and al alternate ending. The commentary is good, but there isn't really much else to sink your teeth in to so overall its only a basic package.

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it.

FILM RATING: 7.5/10 -- EXTRAS RATING: 5/10 -- OVERALL DVD RATING: 7/10 

Todd Murphy <br />
http://www.allaboutmovies.net

The Break Up

Quite as real as you can get

The Gist

Vince Vaughn stays with Jennifer Anniston in a condo which they both equally share ownership of. On one fine day, they quarrel. The quarrel gets ugly. Hence, the title of the movie occurs. Since they both share the premises, neither is willing to move out and they still stay together. What happens in the end? Do they move out? Do they get back together? Do they just become housemates?

Viewers, pick a side.

What Do I Think?

Man, this movie is all about male-bashing! Eight male characters in the film and they are:
1. An insensitive guy who comes home and just wants to relax and do nothing because he has talent and the whole world owes him for that.
2. A straight-to-the-point sex-maniac who is all out to get laid in clubs and anywhere else possible.
3. Another insensitive guy who does not care about other people’s problems in relationships but pretends that he knows.
4. A gay looking shoulder-length haired receptionist in an art gallery who sulks and cries when scolded.
5. The female lead’s best friend’s husband who is also the male lead’s friend who secretly is supporting the male lead but has no balls because wife forces him to do otherwise.
6. A realtor who is actually a blood-sucking opportunist who grabs every chance of business he can get. Friendship and business are two different things.
7. A bar-man who listens to the drinkers’ problems but does not properly understand any single one of them but thinks he does.
8. The female lead’s gay brother who sings like an overenthusiastic sissy and gets everyone else annoyed.

The female lead?
1. A responsible partner who does the dishes, the cleaning, the cooking, the work, the planning, the coordinating, the clothes-matching, the laundry, the interior arrangement and the everything that the male does not do at all. Also, the one who calls for the break-up. Her boss likes her so much because she is so good in her work that she absolutely cannot resign. The overly sensitive partner that displays all her innermost emotions and feelings in the film.

In comparison, she makes the male lead’s emotional quotient being on par with my home’s brick wall.

With all the above in place, who would pick the male’s side? Sigh, I for one, will sacrifice myself and defend the male community who can relate to the film.

As I mentioned earlier, this movie is as real as it can get. The dialogue isn’t sugar-coated or polished to please viewers’ ears. Most of them are quite unjustified and mildly disturbing. Especially during arguments and the words may not be as you want to hear them. Quite like how real-life arguments would be. No, no physical violence at all. Just intentional verbal hurts.

The dinner table scene was one of the most uncomfortable I have experienced that at one point I really looked at the floor to hide my embarrassment. Yep, this kind of situation occurs many times in real life but they are seldom projected onto celluloid. The filmmakers are quite bold to make that sort of execution.

Perhaps the filmmakers are also trying to convey a message to all the guys with partners out there. The insensitiveness of Vaughn is displayed, amplified and repeatedly done over and over again. Yes! We get the message! Are we that insensitive, please?

He excels in his work place. People love him at work. He is proud of his so-called 'talent'. He goes home and he feels that he has fought a tough battle so he deserves a right to laze around, watch TV, play videogames and just wait for dinner. It is the woman’s job to do the dishes, cooking and cleaning.

The woman on the other hand is tired and would like to have some help. The man doesn’t understand why he should do the dishes, the woman says it’s not about dishes. It’s about the willingness to help. The man doesn’t understand the part about the willingness either. She wants to tell him that it’s not about the willingness either. It’s about the togetherness in everything they do. Now the man gets confused. She wants to bring out a message but doesn’t want to tell it directly. For him it’s about the subject of things that are done. For her, it’s about the reason of things that are done.

C’mon ladies, be fair. Stop hinting so much. Just tell us directly.

The film’s trailer brought it’s positioning to be a laugh-out-loud comedy. There are some of those moments in that film, especially in the scenes with the bar-man. Vaughn is good in this kind of role and now he’s really a hot property in Hollywood. Anniston made this film after breaking up with Mr Jolie. She is so freaking skinny in this film that I really don’t see much beauty in her. Technically, she delivers well in the film and nothing more.

(Warning: Possible Spoilers Ahead)
As I mentioned earlier, this movie’s script is not made clichéd to please viewers. If that intention of the scriptwriters is true, then the ending could be letdown to many. As for myself, I feel that the ending is suitable and could not be more appropriate!


Rating: 6/10
I expected to laugh my socks off in this movie. Instead, I got an educational film on how to be a better half of a couple. Good film for any couples and to-be couples. Even for single people who are previously in relationships.

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Last updated: 2009-08-11 21:56:37 by joekhor