07/21/06 The Break-Up

The Break-Up (2006), directed by Peyton Reed

watched w/ Leslie, Janine, Eric, Nick & Louis; theater (Blue Ridge Cinema, Raleigh, NC)

While the title may seem depressing and completely foreshadowing of the plot, it's the uncomfortable ride down dysfunctional relationship lane that keeps this off-beat comedy going. Where most romantic comedies tend to focus on the hunt, the game, the dance that is courting in this modernized dating scene...this one quickly brings us up to speed on the settling in & crumbling apart of the sugar-coated niceties that can soon depart when couples begin to take each other for granted. Let's just say, you should be solidly grounded in a strong relationship before coming to see this potentially light-hearted fare, only to have your wonderful date night idea crushed into a thousand little pieces when the ubiquitous questions start firing from all angles after leaving the theater, addressing what happened on screen as a catalyst for what is about to happen in your real life, and leading to smudged eyeliner and bruised egos (and balls). I'm not in any way suggesting that this happened to me, for I have a good strong relationship with my girl...but this "comedy" can lead down a slippery questionnaire slope for anyone. The point is obviously to have fun with the movie's intent, and leave it as the fiction on the movie screen. Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston are good as the loving couple (Gary and Brooke) who have moved in together, only to have Brooke feel neglected as a partner in the relationship. She calls Gary out on this fact, declares a break-up in hopes of him coming to his senses. However, what ensues is a bitter and hi-jink-filled turf war over the relationship, emotions, and the material possessions accumulated by both...namely their shared condo. Taking all sorts of good & bad advice from their mutual friends, both engage in a mental warfare to best each others' healing process by both simultaneously acting single...all the while continuing to live together. Everything from blind dates, strippers, board game nights, bowling parties, couples' therapy, fraternity feng shui of the furniture..you name it, they do it to each other. With a great supporting cast of friends & families including Jason Bateman, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Favreau, Cole Hauser, Joey Lauren Adams, John Michael Higgins, and one Peter Billingsley (yup, Ralphie from "A Christmas Story")...the laughs keep coming in subtle and over-the-top ways. Director Reed (Raleigh, NC native) does a good job of melding the cast together, while allowing what seems like skillful improv on comedic parts (as Vince Vaughn is so talented at doing). The movie is good, nothing too fancy...but what is most intriguing and awkward about it all is the ending. Not to ruin it for anyone, but what takes place is a very realistic, albeit utterly uncomfortable, chance meeting of the two after the break-up. Everyone at some point in life has had that awkward encouter...not knowing what to say, or where to look, or trying to avoid the situation altogether. While most of the movie was funny, this bittersweet finale left everyone with a shuddering tenseness...which had to be intended...but alas, can lead to post-date-night drama. Just think, in reality this film coincided with not only Anniston & Brad Pitt's split, but her being linked to Vaughn. This would be the time on the reality show where someone would give a confessional/testimonial of the date & how they couldn't stand the other person...and how they were still available, looking, and willing to do anything that moves.

3 out of 5 stars