The Break-Up review

            Audiences going to see The Break-Up for a Vince Vaughn movie will be pleased. Vaughn is allowed a large amount of room to improvise dialogue at fast speeds in several scenes. Audiences going to see The Break-Up because they want a romantic comedy will also be pleased. The Break-Up doesn’t include any of the rude or crude humor which usually goes hand-in-hand with a Vince Vaughn movie. In fact, this film will please both sides, although some of the untraditional styles in the film may be difficult for some. It was the same problem that another Universal romantic comedy had this year. Audiences don’t know what to expect when humor is layered thickly with drama, but Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston put such a charismatic cover on the film that it actually works.

            The Break-Up is about an unlikely Chicago couple that is far too familiar too many couples across the world. Gary (Vaughn) doesn’t quite want to grow up, but he manages to charm Brooke (Aniston) into dating him and subsequently moving into a condo with him. After he refuses to change and she refuses to love him the way he is, they break up, but neither want to leave the condo. The humor of them living together in the same apartment after breaking up is obvious, but a great deal of realism comes with it. There are the obvious jokes with dates arriving at the apartment while the ex is at home, but there are also scenes that sound as if they were recorded straight out of life.

            The gossip was thick when news came that Jennifer Aniston was doing a film called The Break-Up just after her divorce, and then rumors continued when she began a relationship with the co-star, Vince Vaughn. Vaughn also happened to be the one that sought out to cast Aniston in the role. He admitted to having her in mind when he began the project. So what does all of this mean in terms of the film? Jennifer Aniston gives a remarkably honest performance, seeming to understand who her character was. It is a very truthful film in every sense, so it is only fitting that her performance should be as well. It is very probable that she had a great deal to draw from while getting into this character, but that should be admired. Any other type of artist that puts a great deal of themselves into their work is seen as a brave person, even if the art is bad. Why shouldn’t it be the same for film?

            One of the things that makes The Break-Up so great is the supporting cast. The filmmakers seemed to understand that the dramatic scenes might scare the audience off too quickly, so there are many scenes in which random supporting characters are allowed to lighten the mood temporarily. From random outbursts of song to Jon Favreau offering to have somebody killed, there are countless scenes of great distractions. This choppy structure which bounces back and forth from comedy to drama may turn away more traditional audiences, but there are rewards to be found for those who have patience.