The Break-Up is a very enjoyable movie, which basically follows the lives of Brooke and Gary, a couple whose relationship is breaking apart because of Gary's poor efforts to appreciate his partner. The Break-Up is not your usual clichéd fluffy chick flick, which is a change for once and a nice breath of fresh air in it's genre. Jennifer Anniston and Vince Vaughn both play their roles to perfection; Anniston as the fed-up overworked houseworker/artist who doesn't get any help around the house from her partner. He doesn't help her to clean the dishes, he won't take her out to places she enjoys like the ballet, he buys the incorrect gifts and products for her and he doesn't appreciate how much she works for him and has appalling please's and thank you's. And Vaughn plays the lazy male partner who can't compliment his girlfriend, very well. He is a great actor at complaining and delivers his lines and scenes brilliantly. So, after a large meal with both Brooke and Gary's family, in which the couple argue their way through, Brooke has had enough of Gary's slobbish ways. The way he ignores her, and just wants to play video games and watch the match without helping her at all. Anyway as the arguments ensue, we begin to feel sympathetic for each character in a different light. First we feel sorry for Brooke because of how much she is put through, without any support around the house from Gary. Then as Brooke begins to spite Gary and try to make him feel down, so he will come back to her, (by her dating other men), we feel a little upset for Gary. Then, as the film develops we discover that both of them are now going to have to try and fight to keep their condo. Gary moves out his bedroom and lives in the living room on the sofa bed, while Brooke lives and sleeps in the bedroom. Division and fighting continues throughout the home. They continue to squabble about things such as what they can and can't do and where they can and can't go. For the next few weeks, Brooke and Gary try to upset and annoy each other. Brooke tries to date men in order to get Gary jealous and to try and win him back over envy. But she never quite wins the situation and never quite finds the right guy to get Gary back to her. Meamwhile Gary just lazes around the living room, doesn't clean up for himself and he buys a pool table to annoy Brooke, after their arguing over the fact that they can't have one. He also has a poker night in which he brings strippers home. This game of fighting in order to annoy one another provides plenty of laughs and great lines and scenes for the audience, and also works by helping wound their relationship even further, and making their division even wider. After a mishap of the two trying to host a 'game night,' in which Gary has bitter feeling for some of Brooke's friends who betrayed him after the split, Brooke and Gary's friend, who is also a Realtor, decides to help them sell the house and split their money so they can go their separate ways. Emotions and feelings start to play on the audience. We see how far the two have drifted apart, and feel completely sorry for Brooke's character, who only wanted to be loved by her husband, and after their split, wanted nothing than to be together again. Brooke then invites Gary for one last concert, hoping that they can mend some of the cuts in their split. But after he never shows, Brooke has had enough. She cries in front of Gary and spells out how all she ever wanted from him was appreciation. Gary feels sorry for her, and feels ashamed, but cannot fix what has been broken between them. After Gary cleans the condo and cooks a meal for the two of them, he tells Brooke his true love for her, but she doesn't feel the same. The two never get back together but the film ends on a smiley, happy note, as the two meet a year or so later, and are still good friends. The acting, as I have mentioned before, is on top form. The two leads play their drama so excellently, you would find it hard to believe the two aren't a real couple. Excellent characters also include Judy Davis as Marilyn, the rather eccentric artist who provides great comical value and John Michael Higgins as Richard, the crazy gay brother of Brooke, who once again adds some comedy on the side of this rather serious drama between the two leads. The script is good, with plenty of jokes, especially from Vaughn who is never a let down at delivering the humour while acting completely serious. The sets are rather nice, the condo is an attractive place. The soundtrack was nothing special and pretty unforgettable. However the many redemption's of this movie; the un-clichéd ending and the decent plot, followed by outstanding acting makes the Break-Up a very enjoyable experience. Not your average chick flick -- which is a good thing.
Review of The Break-Up
