The Break-Up

February 15, 2007

Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 106 min Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Break-Up really wants to be a date movie, but guys should avoid using it as such. Why you ask? Simple, the male character in the movie causes almost all of the problems and is a real ass, so you’re going to be hearing a lot of “oh no he didn’t!” and “mm-hmmm” coming from the seat next to you.

The Break-Up Vince Vaughn plays Gary, a self-absorbed guy who is working with his brothers in building a tourist company in Chicago. He’s “the talent” as he’s entertaining the patrons and he’s very funny and good at his job. He’s also got asmokin hot girlfriend (Jennifer Aniston as Brooke) who works as an art dealer and basically puts up with his behavior most of them time. Everyone has their limits though, and when Gary doesn’t bring home the correct number of lemons for a dinner party, then plops down on the couch to play a littleGTA instead of helping out, a fight ensues.

Obviously, they break up. What follows is the results of when two people who no longer like each other attempt to share a space and try to make each other jealous. Pretty much by the numbers at this point, with very few plot points that you couldn’t see coming from a mile away. What’s hard to get across is how mean spirited this movie is. People compare it to War of the Roses, but in that movie the couple goes all out in a comical way up to their ultimate demise. In The Break-Up it’s more one sided, and Gary is almost always in the wrong. This isn’t as much a romantic comedy as it is a diatribe about how men suck.

Is it worth watching? Well, you do get to see Jennifer Aniston buck naked while she walks away from you, but the camera has her blurred out. There are moments of laugh-out-loud comedy, but over all I’d give it a resounding “eh”. It’s average at best, but I’ll give it 3 stars due to that fine (but blurry) butt and the funny parts. Take my earlier advice though, don’t watch this with a female in the room, you won’t have a good time.

Posted by John | Filed Under 3 Stars, Ann-Margret, Comedy, DVD, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Favreau, PG-13, Vince Vaughn