Okay, so as movies go there was a lot of pressure behind this one. It's been talked about for at least a year before it's release to theaters. Most of the pressure was generated by the Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston split. We have all heard of the media monster that is Brangelina (and if you haven't you've been living under a rock in Anartica. Even rock dwellers here in the states have some recollection of Brangelina and their 3 week offspring, Shiloh). I have to say at the beginning I was on Team Aniston, thinking Angelina a home-wrecking bitch. But then the realization that Jennifer seems like she can be a real bitch, no matter how much I loved Rachel Green. Angelina isn't at fault here, she may be the other woman, but she didn't force Brad to leave his wife. So I opened myself up to new Aniston films, and went to see THE BREAK-UP, which ironically marks the beginning of Vauniston (Aniston and her co-star/boyfriend Vince Vaughn). Currently I have no side, after a brief stay in the Team Jolie camp I have decided to be Switzerland and not choose a side.
The movie, and the relationship, start out at a baseball game where Brooke (Aniston) is with a date and Gary (Vaughn) is there with a friend (Favreau, an often costar of Vaughn's). Gary makes a play for Brooke, a straight out play that seems not to work... but then there wouldn't be a movie. The game scene is followed by a montage of still photos that chronicle their relationship. Everything is present, the goofy pictures of them with friends and family and even the obligitory 'watch while we kiss' picture. Two years pass and their are photos of the two of them buying, remodeling and redecorating a beautiful apartment in Chicago.
So in the last review of the movie I read before going to see it myself, they called the characters unrelatable and shallow. Aniston was said the portray a nag and Vaughn an immature man-child. Even though I found that both characterizations were right, both were relatable and layered. Aniston may have been Brooke the nag and Vaughn immature Gary, but both characters were relatable. Brooke, an artist with a love ballet nagged boyfriend Gary about taking her to the ballet, helping with the dishes and listening to her when she talks. But who can blame her when all he does is watch baseball, play videogames and take every little thing she does for granted. Durring a huge fight Brooke tells Gary that she can't take it anymore and its over. Gary yells back, says some things and walks out, accepting the break-up. And who can blame him, this woman and him have been together for two years, they have an apartment that they remodeled and redecorated together and he didn't have any say in any of the decor, and has been bowled over by this nagging bossy woman that he loves. Somehow the relationship just isn't as fun as it used to be.
So it begins, Brooke is immediately sorry for what she says and figures that Gary will come home, crawl into bed and they'll forgive and forget. Unfortunately Gary comes home, grabs his pillow and a blanket and sleeps on the couch. Brooke is at work, crying to a co-worker. Gary wakes up late and goes to work (he is one third owner of a tourism company, which he owns with his two brothers) where it is obvious that he is just as immature there as he is at home. Brooke gets the day off from her boss to recover from her breakup. Brooke cries to friends about how she didn't really wanted to breakup with him, just wanted to show him that he could lose her.
Gary has made a mess of the living room, trashing it because he now claims it as his room. Brooke gets advice from her boss on how to get him back through jealousy. One wax and a nude walk around the apartment in front of the ex and she's on her way to a date with an accountant. The date is a bust and she returns home more depressed than when she left. The next evening Brooke goes on another date with an even hotter guy, who gets along pretty well with Gary. This date is a bust as well, and she returns home to find her apartment over-run with Gary's friends and girls, Gary is having a party. Their eyes connect before Brooke goes to bed.
Trying a new tactic, Brooke tells Gary that she bought 2 tickets for an Old 97's concert and she invites him to go with her. He agrees, but stands her up, not knowing that she wants to get back together. He walks in on her crying, and she tells him that she didn't want to really break up and he just doesn't get it. Gary thinks it over, goes for a walk and ends up at his friend's bar. His friend (Favreau) tells him that he feels sorry for Brooke, that Gary builds a wall around himself and doesn't let people in. He tells him that Gary doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do, and Brooke never had a chance. Cut to Brooke going for a morning run and Gary finishing up work at his office, finally taking some resposibility.
Gary cooks Brooke dinner, but she brings home a handsome, rich stranger (who is really there to buy art, a guy she turned down for a date earlier in the movie). He tells Brooke that he loves her and he doesn't want to lose her, but she tells him she doesn't feel the same. They sell their apartment and Brooke leaves for Europe, off to Italy to see the great art. A year passes by and we see the two again, bumping into each other on the street. Gary has taken resposibility and they have finally expanded their tourism company to the water, getting a boat to do tours. Brooke is on the cell phone, talking to what appears to be a coworker. They exchange pleasantries and talk for a moment, Gary loaded down with grocery bags. Brooke congratulates Gary on the expansion of his company and Gary tells her to come by for a complementary tour. Brooke says she will, and they part ways. In the end they walk away from each other, but both look back.
This movie didn't end the way most movies do, with a happy ending where the couple gets back together, realizing their mistakes and they live happily ever after. Instead it ends with them broken up, meeting on the street a year later and being okay. It looks like they are both doing well, almost better off without the other. It looks as if Gary has a new girlfriend, who has sent him on a shopping errand. Brooke looks to have gone corporate, dressing very businesslike and on the cell phone as she walks the streets of the city. Although the ending ends there it seems as if there is a hint of possibility. Could they get back together? It's possible, neither of them ruled anything out with this last meeting. Neither of them mentioned a significant other, just said hello and then goodbye. The last moments of the movie is what suggest that there might be a more happy ending for Brooke and Gary. As they walk away Gary looks back at her and then ahead, just missing Gary's final glance, Brooke looks back at him as she crosses the street. The look back is used in many movies as a symbol, a cliche, of longing. Longing for the one you want, or the one that got away. As much as I love Vaughn and most characters he plays, Brooke is probably about as good as Gary is going to get. Brooke should be sainted for putting up with all his immature bullshit for as long as she did.
In the view of a woman, Brooke was in full right to break it off. Gary needed to grow up and take responsibility. Because of his immaturity, a pool table grew from being a stupid game into a symbol of everything he felt was wrong with their relationship. Yeah they guy wanted his own pool table, but there would be a time for that later, right now he should have a grown up apartment. If you're going to move in with a woman you're going to have accept the reality that you're an adult and you need start acting like one.
Over all I think that Aniston and Vaughn did a great job at playing these characters. I recommend it, but only if you if don't take your significant other, things could get ugly when you discuss the movie afterwards.
Here is the imdb space:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452594/
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