The Break-Up (2006)

the break up...

I found myself relating to this movie. It was funny to me. The ending was great.

One couple, one condo, and one break up equals fighting without end. Boyfriend takes girl for granted, girlfriend says things she doesn't mean equals break up.

This is not a family movie because of language and some content. August 23, 2008

Not a feel-good, laugh-riot comedy, but... interesting

A pretty entertaining, thoughtful movie if you ignore the bouncy/fun art on the DVD box and forget the bouncy/fun marketing campaign when this movie hit theaters a couple of years back. This is not a romantic comedy but rather a drama with some comedy sprinkled in, or- at best- a 50/50 mix of drama and comedy. If you go in knowing that, you won't be put off (as I was until I got into the right groove) by all the intense, shadowy lighting and the intense, pain-laced arguments. Once you know what you're getting, you'll enjoy the well-crafted intensity and the handful of funny moments, too (Jon Favreau is a riot as Vince Vaughn's protective friend).

The extra features are pretty illuminating, too. That's where we learn that the film's tone was unambiguously intentional on the part of Vince Vaughn and director Peyton Reed, who essentially said, "we hate those brightly lit, goofy romantic comedies that don't have a thread of true complexity in them!" Oh, and for an entertaining lesson in the art of film-making, be sure to watch the Vince Vaughn/Jon Favreau improv sessions, also among the special features. You'll see five or so improvised takes of a conversation in a bar between the two actors, while in character. It's fun to see what responses they come up with on the spur of the moment as each actor takes turns throwing openings and straight lines at the other. In the end, pieces of all the takes were edited together to produce the actual scene in the movie.

So, again, if you don't mind a little nuance and complexity in your comedic dramas (or your dramatic comedies, or whatever you want to call this mixed-up genre), give "The Break-Up" a try. August 11, 2008

BETTER THAN I EXPECTED

This is a great rainy Saturday movie. I'm not a big fan of Jennifer Aniston because she is always, well, Jennifer Aniston. But that works for her. The same thing with Vince Vaughn - he's the big goof in comedies and eerily frightening in dramatic vehicles. But, together, they make a nice team with believeable chemistry. They are nicely supported by Jason Batement and Jon Favreau. Vincent D'Onofrio is a chameleon, barely recognizeable as the over-analytical detective in television's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent". The plot here is a lot less violent than "The War Of The Roses", but telling the same story in a more civilized and delightful manner. The ending was perfect, leaving the viewer with the sense that there's room for a sequel. Hopefully, that will never happen, but we can just follow Aniston's real-life workaholic/on-again-off-again romances/friendships/"friends-with-benefits"/booty calls/boyfriends-of-the-week/still trying to get over Brad and Angelina/ saga. August 3, 2008

A great movie A must see

this movie was eye opener in my relationship. watch it.
It is worth the watch. Sometimes no matter what you say or do
they just don't get it... July 30, 2008

A Cellloid Catastrophe

Unless your idea of entertainment is to listen to a recording of nails scraping against a blackboard, avoid this movie at all costs. A movie in the dreaded "dramedy" catagory (you know the one, Home Improvement meets cancer-scare), this offering by two normally entertaining actors hits all the wrong notes.

The basic plot is stupifyingly simple: boy and girl who to all conscious observers seem to have nothing in common, whatdayaknow, break-up! That in and of itself does not a movie make, so the writers and directors pad the film with uncomfortable and poorly acted scenes of yelling, arguments, tantrums, and other assorted ill-advised and sophmoric behavior. Not only are the protagonistics utterly clueless, but their friends are utterly useless, providing unhelplful and ultimately destructive advice; their only purpose seems to provide characters that the principals can rant and rave at and interact with, like a live action video game.

Some reviewers, bless their hearts, have observed that the film portrays relationships as rather realistic. Well I've just read that Jennifer Anston, who was the real-life "girlfriend" (what?! are we thirteen,- Aniston is 39!!) of Vince Vaugn during filming, just broke up with her British model boyfriend after two months. What a suprise! Perhaps her acting isn't so great after all. July 22, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...